{"id":1312781,"date":"2025-12-30T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/?p=1312781"},"modified":"2025-12-29T14:39:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T20:39:20","slug":"wisconsin-appleton-technical-academy-school-students-skilled-trades-college-manufacturing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/12\/wisconsin-appleton-technical-academy-school-students-skilled-trades-college-manufacturing\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Can&#8217;t do this alone\u2019: An Appleton school prepares students for skilled trades. It\u2019s not easy.","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\"><b>Reading Time: <\/b><\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 8<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Click here to read highlights from the story<\/summary>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>ATECH opened over a decade ago to create a pipeline of students interested in advanced manufacturing careers.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Many students at the charter school like the hands-on classes, take advantage of paid apprenticeships and earn free college credits.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>But school leaders say they struggle to attract students, fight a stigma that surrounds technical education and afford equipment and tools.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p>A cacophony of humming, drilling, banging and buzzing fills Appleton Technical Academy\u2019s cavernous lab.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In one corner, a student drills ventilation holes in a piece of metal that will eventually be a firepit ring. Another cuts through a thin piece of metal with clippers. Shrouded by red vinyl curtains, several students weld metal, sending blue sparks flying through the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As more schools embrace career and technical education, scenes like these are increasingly common in high schools nationwide: fewer students gripping pencils at desks; more wielding expensive tools and receiving hands-on training for their future career.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Part of that trend, <a href=\"https:\/\/atech.aasd.k12.wi.us\/\">Appleton Technical Academy (ATECH)<\/a> opened a decade ago to ease the region\u2019s shortage of advanced manufacturing workers. Today, many of the students love their hands-on classes, enroll in paid apprenticeships and collect free college credit before continuing on to trade school.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"521\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse663_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=782%2C521&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A person wearing a blue jacket gestures and holds a handle of a large metal machine while two other people wearing safety glasses stand beside it in a workshop with tools, tanks and equipment in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-1312785\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse663_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=782%2C521&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse663_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse663_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse663_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse663_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse663_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse663_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse663_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse663_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse663_Atech_Dec-25-782x521.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Carrie Giauque, a technology education instructor for Appleton Technical Academy, teaches students how to use a piece of equipment on Dec. 3, 2025. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>But it hasn\u2019t been without difficulties. The school has struggled to attract students, combat a persistent stigma around technical education and afford the pricey equipment and tools it requires. Plus, it\u2019s hard to determine if the school has met the original goal of producing local manufacturing employees.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s happening at ATECH shows how preparing Wisconsin teenagers to eventually fill workforce holes, especially amid the state&#8217;s dearth of skilled trade workers, can be a tall task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ATECH lead teacher Paul Endter spends his lunch breaks and free time trying to grow local support for the school and get more students interested.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI continue to tell people we&#8217;re the best-kept secret in the Fox Valley, and that&#8217;s not by design,\u201d Endter said. \u201cI wish I had more people who wanted to get involved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Born from industry needs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the early 2010s, Jared Bailin, CEO of Appleton-based Eagle Performance Plastics, was struggling to find enough advanced manufacturing workers. The plastic manufacturing leader thought introducing high schoolers to the jobs would help.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He took the idea to Greg Hartjes, who was principal of Appleton West High School at the time. Hartjes is now the school district\u2019s superintendent and has always worried about students who don\u2019t mesh with traditional high school education structure \u2014 students who, he says, \u201cperhaps didn&#8217;t want to sit in English class and read Shakespeare,\u201d but rather wanted \u201ctheir hands in the work that they were doing.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Together, they built ATECH, a tuition-free charter school inside Appleton West that aims to prepare students for manufacturing jobs. They secured state grants to fund the launch, and Appleton voters approved a district referendum that put $2.4 million toward renovating labs and classroom spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse133_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A person wearing gloves and a welding helmet holds a torch next to a metal skull mounted on a stand on a workbench, with smoke rising.\" class=\"wp-image-1312786\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse133_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse133_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse133_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=782%2C521&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse133_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse133_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse133_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse133_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse133_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse133_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse133_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Izzy Chappell, a senior at Appleton West High School and Appleton Technical Academy, works on a metal sculpture on Dec. 3, 2025. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The school opened in the 2014-15 school year. Here\u2019s how it works: Students can apply to the school at any point, but most enroll their freshman year. They choose to specialize in one of four growing industries: electronics and automated manufacturing, machining, mechanical design or welding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At first, students take a small number of classes that introduce them to the basics of manufacturing alongside the traditional courses required of all high schoolers, such as language arts and math. Students gradually take on more courses aligned to their specialization, such as programming for electronics students or blueprint reading for machining students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beginning their junior year, students take free college classes that earn both high school and Fox Valley Technical College credit. The classes chip away at a certificate in their focus area, which can shave thousands off tuition for students who enroll in technical college after graduation. Some juniors and seniors can work for local employers as paid youth apprentices during part of the school day, earning money and gaining work experience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cATECH kids are kids that wanted to use their hands along with their brain in learning,\u201d Hartjes said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s the reason senior Izzy Chappell enrolled. On an early December morning, she dipped into one of the lab\u2019s eight welding booths wearing a helmet to protect from the harsh UV rays and flying sparks. She put the finishing touches on a welded metal skull sculpture she entered in a regional SkillsUSA competition that night.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOther classes are hard,\u201d Chappell said. \u201cThis comes easy to me.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting students excited a struggle&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>ATECH leaders hoped the school would be a magnet for students, but getting them interested has been a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The school debuted with 56 students. Enrollment has fluctuated a bit over the decade, never reaching the district\u2019s goal of 120. In the 2024-25 school year \u2014 the most recent year with available state data \u2014 68 students enrolled.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"flourish-embed flourish-chart\" data-src=\"visualisation\/26726203\"><script src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/resources\/embed.js\"><\/script><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/26726203\/thumbnail\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"chart visualization\" \/><\/noscript><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Leaders chalk the lower-than-desired enrollment up to several difficulties: The district doesn\u2019t provide transportation to charter schools, meaning these students typically have to find their own way to school. A jump start toward a career simply doesn&#8217;t resonate with many teenagers as young as 14, who Endter said are more motivated by sports or where their friends go to school.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And most of all,<strong> <\/strong>ATECH leaders find many families still see college degrees as the gold standard. Despite <a href=\"https:\/\/careertech.org\/news\/states-increase-funding-for-secondary-career-technical-education-by-average-of-182-million-over-last-decade\/\">growing investment<\/a> in career and technical education programs nationwide and the critical need for skilled workers in Wisconsin, they say a stigma still plagues technical education, leading many to believe it\u2019s for students who don\u2019t perform well in school.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"521\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse731_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=782%2C521&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A person wearing gloves and a welding helmet uses a torch on a metal sheet atop a large table, with sparks flying and several other people and machines visible in a workshop.\" class=\"wp-image-1312787\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse731_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=782%2C521&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse731_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse731_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse731_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse731_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse731_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse731_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse731_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse731_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse731_Atech_Dec-25-782x521.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students who attend ATECH specialize in one of four areas: electronics and automated manufacturing, machining, mechanical design or welding. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think a misconception often is that it&#8217;s not rigorous, and it&#8217;s not for students that have an aptitude or are intelligent,\u201d Hartjes said. \u201cThat&#8217;s not the case. We&#8217;ve given kids an opportunity to really learn using both their hands and their head.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When ATECH was brand new, a state grant helped the school afford TV commercials and mailers. That money is long gone. Nowadays, Endter visits nearby middle schools to talk to students about career education. They organize tours and career fairs, where ATECH leaders try to entice students with the spacious labs and high-tech equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s not for lack of trying, you know?\u201d Endter said. \u201cBut again, as an incoming eighth grader, charter schools represent something different. For some kids, different is good. And for some kids, different is not. So many kids don&#8217;t know what could or should be the best pathway for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Meeting workforce needs?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Sophomore Noah Siong enrolled in ATECH because his brother graduated from the school and went on to open his own car repair shop.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat kind of opened the gateway to me,\u201d Siong said. \u201cIt was like, \u2018Oh, this stuff is pretty cool.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"1173\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse826_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=782%2C1173&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A person smiles and leans on a metal machine table in a workshop, wearing a dark top with a logo reading \u201cAtech Appleton Technical Academy,\u201d with industrial equipment in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-1312788\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse826_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=782%2C1173&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse826_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=336%2C504&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse826_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=93%2C140&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 93w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse826_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse826_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse826_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=780%2C1170&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse826_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=400%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse826_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=706%2C1059&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse826_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?w=800&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse826_Atech_Dec-25-782x1173.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Paul Endter, lead instructor for Appleton Technical Academy, smiles in the charter school\u2019s lab on Dec. 3, 2025. Endter spends his free time searching for industry mentors, seeking donations from local businesses for ATECH and spreading the word about the school. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Siong wants to pursue a career in metal fabrication after graduation. Hartjes estimates hundreds of students like Siong have learned \u201cskills that have prepared them for careers\u201d over the last decade. But it\u2019s difficult to know exactly how many students have gotten jobs that use the skills they learned at ATECH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wisconsin, <a href=\"https:\/\/hechingerreport.org\/states-bet-big-on-career-education-but-struggle-to-show-it-works\/\">like many states<\/a>, doesn\u2019t have a system connecting education and employment data, according to a<a href=\"https:\/\/reports.ecs.org\/comparisons\/statewide-longitudinal-data-systems-2024\"> 2024 Education Commission of the States analysis.<\/a> The evidence ATECH leaders collect is largely anecdotal, but Endter said it indicates the vast majority either continue to technical college to finish their programs or turn their youth apprenticeships into full-time jobs after graduation. Endter estimates about 10% pursue a four-year degree.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bailin, the Eagle Performance Plastics CEO, said ATECH hasn\u2019t produced as many local manufacturing employees as he hoped when he helped create the school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt didn&#8217;t really come out the way I would have hoped,\u201d Bailin said. Eagle has hired between one and three apprentices from ATECH each year. He estimates roughly half have moved into full-time jobs, but it hasn\u2019t been enough to produce the pipeline of machining employees he wanted. The company is no longer closely tied to the school, Bailin said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles  wpnbha is-grid columns-2 colgap-2 show-image image-alignleft ts-2 is-3 is-landscape \"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"1312781\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>more from wisconsin watch<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"1311827\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-dual-enrollment tag-education tag-higher-education tag-news tag-wisconsin-watch category-pathways-to-success type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/12\/wisconsin-dual-enrollment-high-school-college-classes-teachers-students-education\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse20251112-Dual-Enrollment-Timmerman-001.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Wisconsin high schools want to offer more college classes. First, teachers must go back to school.\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse20251112-Dual-Enrollment-Timmerman-001.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse20251112-Dual-Enrollment-Timmerman-001.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse20251112-Dual-Enrollment-Timmerman-001.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse20251112-Dual-Enrollment-Timmerman-001.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse20251112-Dual-Enrollment-Timmerman-001.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/12\/wisconsin-dual-enrollment-high-school-college-classes-teachers-students-education\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Wisconsin high schools want to offer more college classes. First, teachers must go back to school.<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"1308306\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-college tag-education tag-green-bay tag-new-news-lab tag-news tag-wisconsin-watch category-education category-pathways-to-success type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/08\/northeast-wisconsin-technical-college-nwtc-class-course-retention-graduation-education\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NWTC_Parise.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-large size-newspack-article-block-landscape-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"This college\u2019s strategy for preventing dropouts? Classes half as long\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NWTC_Parise.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NWTC_Parise.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NWTC_Parise.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NWTC_Parise.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NWTC_Parise.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NWTC_Parise.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NWTC_Parise.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/08\/northeast-wisconsin-technical-college-nwtc-class-course-retention-graduation-education\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">This college\u2019s strategy for preventing dropouts? Classes half as long<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<p>In a measure of its academic performance, ATECH\u2019s state rating has averaged a score of 58, which the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) defines as \u201cmeets few expectations.\u201d Hartjes said the hands-on skills students learn are not<strong> <\/strong>reflected in the state\u2019s rating system. For example, the college classes students take, however advanced, don\u2019t factor into the school\u2019s rating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf they were \u2026 tested on their aptitude for mechanics, I guarantee you that they would outscore many other students across our state,\u201d Hartjes said. \u201cIf they were being tested on those different things that we focused on, I guarantee you that their knowledge, their experience and their aptitude is going to shine through. But, you know, they don&#8217;t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2018Just can&#8217;t fund all of this\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m going to teach you about different kinds of metal!\u201d technology education teacher Carrie Giauque shouts so students hear her in the noisy lab. She pulls scraps out of a large trash barrel filled to the brim, identifying them to the students crowded around her: \u201cCarbon! Steel! Aluminum! Galvanized steel! Copper!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Behind them, sheets of metal are stacked floor to ceiling. The school goes through countless sheets teaching students the basics of welding and metal fabrication. It\u2019s ATECH\u2019s largest expense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s a lot less costly to have 30 students sit in math class,\u201d Hartjes said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"521\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse381_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=782%2C521&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A person points to wiring on a tabletop machine while another person with an orange hat watches while sitting, with several other people working at desks and computers in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-1312789\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse381_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=782%2C521&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse381_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse381_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse381_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse381_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse381_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse381_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse381_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse381_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse381_Atech_Dec-25-782x521.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Technology education instructor Loren Daane, center, helps sophomore Joshua Bellman with a project at Appleton Technical Academy on Dec. 3, 2025. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Despite needing costly materials, ATECH\u2019s state funding is determined by the same formula as all other schools in the district, so it relies on grants and donations to make up the difference. To date, the school has received $266,000 in donations toward equipment and curriculum.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA lot of the learning exhausts materials, exhausts some of our resources,\u201d Hartjes said. \u201c(We\u2019re) having to get support from our local manufacturing community, from a financial aspect, because as a school district, we just can\u2019t fund all of this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Endter said ATECH also badly needs mentoring from industry employees, who can teach students and teachers how to use the complicated technology they receive as donations. In one classroom, a large robot sits untouched in a locked box after a college donated it. ATECH employees don\u2019t have enough experience with the programming language to teach students how to use it.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For their part, employers are often stretched too thin to offer up staff to mentor teachers and students. Eagle Performance Plastics used to send someone to ATECH to teach students about a pricey machine it helped buy, but there weren&#8217;t enough interested students to make the trip worth it, Bailin said.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"521\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse332_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=782%2C521&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"People walk past a wall display reading \u201cATECH Sponsors\u201d with sections labeled \u201cApprentice Partner,\u201d \u201cJourneyman Partner\u201d and \u201cMaster Partner,\u201d showing multiple company logos and empty plaques.\" class=\"wp-image-1312790\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse332_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=782%2C521&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse332_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse332_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse332_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse332_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse332_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse332_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse332_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse332_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse332_Atech_Dec-25-782x521.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students at Appleton West High School walk past a sponsor wall for Appleton Technical Academy on Dec. 3, 2025. Two-thirds of the spaces are empty. Lead instructor Paul Endter jokes that he wears \u201c27 hats\u201d trying to find additional support for ATECH. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Inside ATECH, a \u201csponsor wall\u201d is decorated with the logos of organizations and employers that have invested in the school. Two-thirds of the spaces are empty \u2014 a visual reminder of the school\u2019s need for added support.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Endter jokes he wears \u201c27 hats\u201d trying to find it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEvery hour that I am not teaching, including working through my lunch hour, is dedicated to phone calls, emails, site visits, networking, cold calls,\u201d he said. \u201cYou name it. I am doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The work could soon pay off. Beginning in 2024, Appleton students between kindergarten and fifth grade began taking weekly STEM classes. Endter hopes that will spark interest in career and technical education.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m on the precipice,\u201d Endter said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m hoping that there&#8217;s going to be this giant surge of students who are looking for opportunities.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse166_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A person wearing safety glasses and a raised welding helmet leans an arm on a machine in a workshop, with industrial equipment and another person working in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-1312791\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse166_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse166_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse166_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=782%2C521&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse166_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse166_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse166_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse166_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse166_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse166_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse166_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cOther classes are hard. This comes easy to me,\u201d said Izzy Chappell, a senior at Appleton Technical Academy. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The dilemma isn\u2019t unique to ATECH. Many schools are eager to provide this kind of technical education, Karin Smith, a DPI education consultant, said. However, the equipment and tools are costly, and <a href=\"https:\/\/fox11online.com\/news\/crisis-in-the-classroom\/wisconsin-school-districts-face-budget-shortfalls-amid-state-funding-concerns\">many schools are struggling to fund basic offerings<\/a>. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.postcrescent.com\/story\/news\/education\/2025\/09\/10\/appleton-area-school-district-says-2025-26-deficit-at-13-million\/86054863007\/\">Appleton expects a $13 million deficit this school year<\/a>.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wisconsin is one of five states that don\u2019t designate state funding for career and technical education programs, relying solely on federal funding. Many states allocate more funding to school districts specifically for these programs because the federal dollars alone cannot meet the costs, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/ctek12funding.careertech.org\/cte-funding-basics\/\">Advance CTE<\/a>, a nonprofit representing state career and technical education leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn Wisconsin, we have used (the federal funds) to, generally speaking, keep the lights on,\u201d said Sara Baird, DPI\u2019s career and technical education director.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly requested the 2025-27 state budget include about $45 million in career and technical education grants to districts. Gov. Tony Evers suggested a pared-down version of $10 million, which<strong> <\/strong>was<strong> <\/strong>scrubbed by the Legislature\u2019s Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee and not included in the final bill.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re seeing tremendous growth and tremendous interest in expanding CTE,\u201d Smith said. Still, school district leaders are frustrated by the lack of funding for it. \u201cThey are feeling like their hands are tied behind their back,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe can&#8217;t do this alone \u2026 Every school has a tech ed teacher who is desperately trying to get kids excited about career pathways,\u201d Endter said. \u201cThey need business support. They need donations. They need mentors in the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Miranda Dunlap reports on pathways to success in northeast Wisconsin, working in partnership with <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.opencampus.org\/\"><em>Open Campus<\/em><\/a><em>. Email her at <\/em><a href=\"mailto:mdunlap@wisconsinwatch.org\"><em>mdunlap@wisconsinwatch.org<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"646\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=782%2C646&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1279368 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=782%2C646&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=336%2C278&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=140%2C116&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=768%2C634&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=1536%2C1269&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=2048%2C1692&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=1200%2C991&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=1568%2C1295&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=400%2C330&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1-782x646.png?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsinwatch.org\/\">Wisconsin Watch<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsinwatch.org\/subscribe\">newsletters<\/a>\u00a0for original stories and our Friday news roundup. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Appleton Technical Academy students like hands-on classes, enroll in paid apprenticeships and collect free college credit before continuing on to trade school. But the school has struggled to attract students, combat a persistent stigma around technical education and afford equipment and tools.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":1314,"featured_media":1312784,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-feature.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"gigafact_has_fact_brief":false,"gigafact_remote_fact_brief_post_id":0,"gigafact_remote_sync_timestamp":"","gigafact_remote_sync_status":"","gigafact_remote_sync_response":"","gigafact_has_been_published":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2025-12-30T15:07:38Z","apple_news_api_id":"caa79acb-c4a9-4c67-9e83-693888aadf0d","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2025-12-30T15:07:38Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Ayqeay8SpTGeeg2k4iKrfDQ","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"newspack_featured_image_position":"large","newspack_post_subtitle":"Appleton Technical Academy students like hands-on classes, enroll in paid apprenticeships and collect free college credit before continuing on to trade school. 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