State Representative Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, visited the Collinsville Area Vocational Center (CAVC) expansion on May 4 to observe the ongoing construction. Stuart, who is assistant majority leader and floor whip, toured the facility with CAVC Director Joe McGinnis and Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 Superintendent Dr. Mark B. Skertich.
The expansion began in March 2025 and is scheduled to be ready for the 2026-27 school year. The project aims to nearly double student capacity from around 500 to almost 1,000 students and expand available trades programs. “Our community will greatly benefit from this investment in CAVC, increasing class sizes from 500 to almost 1,000 students and expanding the scope of trades to study. The space is so impressive, and I’m excited to see the space when it’s finished!” said Stuart.
In 2023, $25 million was allocated by the State of Illinois for this project through SB250; most funds are dedicated to construction while some are set aside for renovating existing facilities for new vocational programs. Once completed, leaders expect CAVC will serve as a key resource for training workers in various sectors including trades, service industry, education, and healthcare.
“Representative Stuart’s efforts to secure funding for the CAVC expansion and renovation are becoming a reality, with the facility scheduled to open in late August or early September,” said Superintendent Dr. Skertich. “This project will provide students with valuable opportunities to pursue careers in the skilled trades, while also serving as a critical workforce pipeline for business and industry across the Metro East. We are excited about the immediate and long-term impact this investment will have on our students, our communities, and the regional economy.”
According to McGinnis: “We are excited to see the continued progress of construction as this project brings new opportunities for our students, workforce, and local economy closer to reality.” The new building was designed by FGM Architects with Holland Construction Services managing construction at a projected cost of $21 million for expansion plus $3 million more for renovations.
Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 represents Madison and St. Clair counties according to Illinois Report Card. The district includes several schools such as Caseyville Elementary School through Webster Elementary School as reported by Illinois Report Card. There were no teachers with more than ten absences per year among its staff of over four hundred teachers earning an average salary above sixty thousand dollars according to Illinois Report Card.
The district’s student population is diverse: fifty-six percent White; fourteen percent Black; twenty-four percent Hispanic; half a percent Asian according to ISBE. In terms of spending per student during 2020 it was just under seventeen thousand dollars totaling over one hundred million dollars overall as reported by Illinois Report Card.
Chronic truancy rates within Collinsville Community Unit School District were lower than state averages at three point one percent compared with nine point six statewide during that same period according to ISBE. For context on size: enrollment reached over six thousand students across grades pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade during that time frame as reported by Illinois Report Card.
