Plano ISD trustees, administrators, community members and partners gathered on Nov. 19, 2024, to celebrate the groundbreaking of the district’s new career and technical education center.
The new center — funded through the voter-approved 2022 bond — will span 150,000 square feet, situated at the intersection of Alma Drive and W. Park Boulevard.
What Will Be Included
This facility will provide students with the academic foundation and technical skills needed to pursue further education and careers in current or emerging fields. Designed for grades 9–12, the center will feature real-world learning spaces and advanced equipment to enhance hands-on training and career preparation, including:
- A student-staffed Credit Union of Texas (CUTX) Smart Branch Bank, which will include one full-time CUTX employee, as part of a new partnership with Plano ISD
- TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy
- Cybersecurity, as part of a recent donation from Toyota Motor North America
- Culinary Arts program featuring a restaurant that will be open to the public
- Automotive Collision Repair
- Arts, audio/video and communications programs
Why Is This Important
The center's design includes flexible building plans, ensuring it can expand and adapt to align with evolving workforce needs and future labor trends in North Texas.
“We are delivering on a promise to prepare students for the future,” said Plano ISD Superintendent Dr. Theresa Williams in an official statement. “This new CTE Center symbolizes progress, collaboration and our shared vision for the future. The center will be a key part of our Plano for Your Future initiative, providing us with a new and innovative way to inspire today’s learners to be tomorrow’s leaders.”
Additional Donations
At the groundbreaking ceremony, The Education Foundation announced a $1 million donation from NexPoint Philanthropies to be distributed over the next five years. Of this amount, $500,000 will directly support career and technical education programming in advanced manufacturing. The remaining $500,000 will fund essential Foundation initiatives, including grants to educators, the employee crisis fund, the CORE Store and other key programs benefiting Plano ISD students, families and staff.
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