Dothan Technology Center seeks enrollment boost

Dothan Technology Center is innovating to bolster student enrollment at the career technical center, which has dropped from the previous year.

Principal Greg Allen said the school is working to boost enrollment, which is down by 75 students from the previous year. Allen said enrollment is down because of problems and miscommunication during registration.

He downplayed concerns that a new seven-period schedule has impacted DTC, although when the plan was being considered, instructors at the school said it was likely to drive down enrollment.

Allen said enrollment at DTC should increase during the second semester of school this year as the issues related to registration have been addressed.

Allen said the city school system is also taking steps to boost interest in DTC, such as establishing pre-engineering academies in middle schools.

Ashleigh Davis, 14, was at a Beveryle Middle School afterschool pre-engineering event Monday. Davis has taken pre-engineering classes at Beverlye and is interested in pursuing them in high school.

“I like that you get to be creative,” she said. “It’s one of those ‘don’t kick it until you try it’ things.”

Dothan City School Superintendent Sam Nichols said to give students more career technical education opportunities, the system may try to teach some DTC programs at Dothan High, depending on how “portable” the programs are. Dothan High students currently must commute to DTC if they wish to take the classes it offers.

Nichols also said DTC is not facing any threat of closure because of school budget cuts, but that DTC, like all programs, will have to be reviewed to find possible cost savings in the budgeting process. Nichols said state cuts to the city schools are likely to be even larger than the $5 million he was previously expecting, meaning that the city schools will likely have to make some very painful decisions in the near future.