Gov. Jan Brewer’s proposed cuts to a statewide educational program — if passed — would affect around half of the roughly 2,000 students at Lake Havasu High School.

“I don’t think that in the long run, she will end up cutting it,” said Betsy Parker, superintendent of the Western Arizona Vocational Education district. “But it will be devastating if it does end up being cut.”

Brewer’s budget proposal recommends cutting almost the entire $11.4 million funding that supports Career and Technical Education classes at high schools and special districts. The state funding is attached to $25.9 million matching federal funds. The total funding loss to the program statewide would be around $37 million.

About 1,100 LHHS students are enrolled in at least one class under 11 CTE programs, including marketing, computer systems, automotive, construction, drafting, early childhood, and fashion design.

Lake Havasu Unified School District’s CTE Coordinator Shawna Schneikart said she’s instructing teachers and students to operate as is — until the final bottom line in the state budget is drawn. Students are currently registering for those classes next fall.

The CTE program at the high school has reeled in at least $455,000 in federal, state and local funding for the 2009-2010 school year. And that doesn’t include the district’s final receipt of state and local tax money from WAVE expected in coming months.

In 2008, voters approved the creation of the new WAVE district that encompasses five high schools throughout Mohave and La Paz counties to enhance CTE classes. This school year is the first year WAVE has distributed funding to its high schools.

But if Brewer’s proposals make it through the state Legislature — LHHS will be relying solely on local property tax dollars collected through WAVE and funding from the already cramped LHUSD district budget, according to Schneikart.

So far LHHS has collected $252,000 in WAVE funding, and roughly half of that came from just local property taxes — a mere $126,000 compared to $455,000.

Schneikart said LHUSD funds CTE teachers’ salaries, but her federal, state and local tax budget primarily funds equipment and technological upgrades, student travel, teacher development and annual license renewals for CTE programs.

She said she continues to stay dedicated to improving the CTE program — even in the face of massive cuts. She said if the cuts pass, it will just affect how fast the program can grow.

“I don’t know where the chips are going to land,” she said.

Schneikart said she expects to know by June 1 if the cuts will happen. And Parker said she received an e-mail Wednesday advising her that if voters statewide approve a temporary sales tax hike in the May 18 special election, CTE funds would be protected. The sales tax increase would equal 1-cent-per-dollar. The tax would be collected for 36 months, if approved.

Schneikart said in her 12 years as CTE coordinator, she has never faced such a proposed cut from the state.

“Budgets are just that,” Schneikart said. “They are proposals.”

You may contact the reporter at jleatherman@havasunews.com