The board of the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) voted Monday to seek a complete application from John and Jo Ellen McKenzie for their proposed skilled trades school in the district, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. The move does not guarantee the board’s support but will provide it with additional information to consider.
The Pathway Career and College Academy would aim to prepare students for careers as electricians, carpenters, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and more through paid internships and work-study programs that would accompany their academic classes. Organizers are pushing for the school to open in fall 2026 with an initial cohort of 150 ninth graders.
A complete application must be submitted by Dec. 1 and fully explain the school’s vision and plan for curriculum and instruction. There will be a public hearing on the proposal this winter, with a final school board vote to follow in spring.
