BUTLER TWP — The Butler School Board has changed the district’s policy that would allow students of the district’s Virtual Academy to attend the vocational-technical school at no cost.

Students who attend Butler High School and go to Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School have their tuition paid for by the school district, which pays a significant portion of the total tuition given to the vocational school, said Brian Slamecka, assistant superintendent of secondary schools.

A specific number of the district’s total tuition payment was not immediately available, and Slamecka said it is hard to determine the annual tuition for each student since it is a variable average over three years, depending on vo-tech enrollment.

Because the district’s online curriculum is not affiliated with Pennsylvania Cyber School, the policy does not apply to students who live in the district and attend PA Cyber, according Slamecka.

PA Cyber students generally do not attend vo-tech, but if they did, PA Cyber would be responsible for paying that student’s tuition, Slamecka said.

The new policy only applies to one student, who had petitioned the school board to allow dual enrollment without having his or her parents pay the vo-tech tuition cost. This is the only student enrolled in both the Virtual Academy and vo-tech.