In this FAQ section, we aim to provide comprehensive answers to the most common queries about our unique approach to education, curriculum offerings, extracurricular activities, and more. Please contact us if you have a question not addressed below.
In 2020, a coalition of industry representatives, higher education leaders, and K-12 leaders came together to explore the design of a high school built around industry certifications and dual credits. This design team presented the idea of KTEC High School to the Kenosha Unified School District Charter Review Committee in November 2020. When no action was taken on the proposal, authorization was sought from the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Office of Educational Opportunity (OEO). In February 2021, OEO provided a letter of intent to authorize enabling the design team to seek a Charter School Program (CSP) grant from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. In June 2021, KTEC High School was awarded the CSP grant for $900,000. The 5-year charter agreement was signed between the Kenosha Schools of Technology Enhanced Curriculum, Inc. and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Office of Educational Opportunity (OEO) on March 16, 2022.
An Independent Charter School (ICS) in Wisconsin, also known as a 2r or 2x charter school, is a type of charter school not authorized by a public school district. Instead, they can be authorized by various entities including the Milwaukee common council, the chancellor of a University of Wisconsin System institution, technical college district boards, the Waukesha County Executive, the College of Menominee Nation, the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University, and the UW-System Office of Educational Opportunity.
Key aspects of Independent Charter Schools include:
- Public School Status: They are public schools, serving the public purpose of educating children.
- Funding: Their funding comes directly from the state, separate from local district funding. While some charter schools interact with local districts, they only involve state dollars, avoiding the reallocation of local levy dollars.
- Regulatory Structure: These schools operate under a specific regulatory framework that fosters innovation and creativity in education. They are obligated to serve all children, including those in special education and English learners. Requirements include state exams for students, certification for teachers from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), submission of data for annual audits, and inclusion in a statewide report card.
KTEC High School is in the process of acquiring a permanent, state-of-the-art facility. The KTEC Schools, Inc. board is partnering with ESJ Capital Partners for this project. ESJ is a trusted real estate partner and landlord to high-quality educational institutions across the United States. With ownership of 48 schools, including 19 ground-up, build-to-suit developments totaling 1.5 million square feet, ESJ brings the expertise, capital, and proven track record to help schools turn their expansion and new construction visions into reality. ESJ is actively involved in the charter, private, and post-secondary education spaces.
The process toward a permanent home began with a comprehensive study of available land and buildings. This led to identifying the former Pick ‘n Save building at 1901 63rd Street as the ideal location. This 56,000+ square-foot building, featuring more than 400 parking spaces, is well-suited to meet the school’s needs. Currently, the building is under contract and undergoing a due diligence period.
The conversion will establish the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) and their global partners—such as Snap-on, Trane, Lincoln Electric, Festo, and 3M—as a high school center of excellence. The facility will include four laboratory spaces aligned with career pathways supported by these industry partners, as well as classrooms, a gym, and a commons area.
The building and improvements will be funded through the bond market, ensuring no direct impact on taxpayers for the construction. The school will make monthly payments to the bondholder from its operational budget. KTEC High School is expected to move into this permanent home by Fall 2025.
The school operates on a per-pupil payment from the State of Wisconsin. In the 2023-24 academic year, Independent Charter Schools received $11,385 as a per-pupil payment.
While operational expenses such as salaries, benefits, facilities, and supplies are covered by the per-pupil amount from the State of Wisconsin, KTEC High School regularly seeks grants and pursues fundraising activities. Since 2021, the school has been awarded over $1.9 million in grants.
When KTEC High School expands into its permanent facility, the final enrollment will reach 600, and the school will employ approximately 40 staff members.
Upon completion of its expansion, KTEC High School will be preparing approximately 150 graduates each year to either enter the high skill, high demand careers or continue on to higher education. Students will leave KTEC with vital industry recognized skills to meet an ever changing technologically diverse workforce.
| Content | Credit | # of Quarters |
|---|---|---|
| English | 3 | 12 |
| Science | 3 | 12 |
| Social Studies | 2 | 12 |
| Math | 3 | 12 |
| Government and Economics | 1 | 4 |
| Physical Education | 1.5 | 6 |
| Health | 0.5 | 2 |
| Technical Foundations | 2 | 8 |
| Digital Art and Literacy | 1 | 4 |
| Pathway or General Electives | 5 | 20 |
| C3 | 4 | 16 |
| TOTAL | 26 | 108 |
All students have the opportunity to earn the above certifications as freshmen and sophomores. They will continue to acquire additional certifications through more advanced coursework in a career area of their interest.
- Snap-on Hand Tool Identification
- Snap-on Precision Measurement
- Snap-on Multimeter
- Snap-on Torque
- 3M Personal Protective Equipment
- Trane Data Analytics
- Dremel 3D Printing
- Tromach
- Festo Introduction to Electricity
- Festo Introduction to Mechatronics
- Festo Introduction to Electronics
- Festo Introduction to Mechanisms
- Festo Fundamentals of Electricity
The certifications themselves may not directly result in savings, but the dual credits on their Gateway transcript do. Each student has the opportunity to earn 6 college credits from general education courses in each of the 9th, 10th, and 11th grades. These courses alone represent a savings of almost $4,000 per student. Additionally, students will earn credits for technical courses in their junior and senior career pathway courses, which will amount to further savings.
KTEC High School students have access to a wide range of extracurricular activities and enrichment opportunities, including clubs like Skills USA, art club, and bible club. They also benefit from field trips to various technical industry locations such as LMI Packaging, Kenosha Airport, and Milwaukee Airport, which provide real-world experience. Additionally, through Gateway’s support, students seeking enrichment can engage in extra college classes, potentially earning an associate degree either at high school graduation or within one semester thereafter.
