Enrollment is up at District 87’s Bloomington Career Academy [BCA], after opening a new facility last fall.
The BCA, which aims to transition students to the career force, currently has 1,042 enrollees for the upcoming school year. Compared to this time last year, this is an increase of about 100 students. This year’s enrollment comes in addition to a similar enrollment jump last year.
The increase in enrollment is “solely due to our new space,” said Bryce Hansen, principal and director of the BCA.
Some of the most popular programs, such as Foundations in Teaching and Heavy Equipment Repair and Operation, have doubled in size in the past year. They’ve jumped from nine students to 18, and from 12 students to 24, respectively.
Even after adding additional sections, several programs have waitlists. This indicates heavy interest from both students and parents.
“We’re still working on creative ways to offer more programs, but we’re making really good use of the space,” Hansen said. “Students and families are seeing a lot of value in the programs that we offer, which is really encouraging.”
School Board member Elizabeth Fox Anvick has heard glowing feedback from the community about the academy, specifically the nursing program.
“I’ve had three people stop me in the last month to tell me how somebody in their family went through the nursing program at BCA, and they all are now going to college to be nurses, but got amazing full-time jobs to help them,” Fox Anvick said.
“They sing nothing but the praises of the BCA.”
According to Hansen, there is more excitement in store for the BCA.
“One thing we’re working on for next year is a student-managed restaurant, utilizing the culinary arts space,” he said. “We’ll have a restaurant that will be open to the public and give our students the opportunity to cook to order and serve actual guests.”
