SLIPPERY ROCK — The school district will pay more next year to send students to Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School.

The district's contribution rose for the 2018-19 year to $315,019, a 36 percent increase from this year's $231,603. The school board already made changes to its budget for next year and approved the change at Monday night's meeting.

Slippery Rock Superintendent Alfonso Angelucci said the choice was obvious to keep the trade school thriving, where their students have found success.

“(The vo-tech) relies on the district's payment,” he said. “The benefit is the opportunity it provides to the students who need that course of study or who are interested in the trades.”

Kurt Speicher, the vo-tech school's executive director, said part of the increase is due to development of the staff.

“We are looking to add two positions,” he said. “That's probably one of the larger portions added to our budget.”

Speicher said enrollment numbers also factored into contributions. He said Slippery Rock's enrollment has risen, while other schools like Butler saw a decrease.

“This year at present, we had like 92 students,” Speicher said. “Those are the factors.”

Angelucci said the school has noticed its students' extra interest in the trades. He said the district allowed 10th-grade students on a case-by-case basis this year where other schools had not.

Speicher said changes to allow more 10th-graders will possibly lower Slippery Rock's contribution in a two years.

“All seven (Butler County) schools will send 10th-graders next year,” he said.

Angelucci said he attributes the growing interest of Slippery Rock students in the trades to the success of the vo-tech.

“We want our students to be employable or go on to higher education,” Angelucci said.