All five schools that send students to Carbon Career and Technical Institute in Jim Thorpe have approved the school's 2014-15 budget, which does not increase overall costs.

CCTI's Joint Operating Committee on Thursday gave Business Administrator Jeffry P. Deutsch the nod to send the spending plan to the state Department of Education.The balanced $7.5 million budget calls for 3.75 percent more in spending, with revenues on an even keel. The school used money from its fund balance to close the slight gap, so the overall cost to school districts remained level because Palmerton and Weatherly's costs dropped.The committee adopted the budget in March.Jim Thorpe school district's cost rose by $15,610 (from $1,650,832 last year to $1,666,442 this year). Lehighton's rose by $9,134 (from $1,257,198 last year to $1,266,332 this year); Palmerton's cost dropped by $66,541 (from $2,227,280 last year to $2,160,739 this year); Panther Valley's cost rose by $53,484 (from $883,089 last year to $936,573 this year); and Weatherly's dropped by $11,687 (from $366,531 last year to $354,844 this year).In 2013, participating schools paid a 0.50 percent overall increase, down from 3.75 percent in 2011-2012, Deutsch said.In other matters, the committee learned that of the 101 students who graduated this month, 42 have jobs lined up, 32 are going to college, 13 are going to technical or trade schools, nine are enlisting in the military and five have yet to make plans, said guidance counselor Eugene Colosimo.The post-secondary schools include DeSales University, Rutgers, Bloomsburg University, Temple University, Harrisburg University of the Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University of the Arts, Albright College, Wilkes University, Drexel University, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Northampton Community College, McCann School of Business and Technology, the Culinary Institute of America, Ohio Technical College, Universal Technical Institute, Automotive Training Center, Pittsburgh Technical Institute, and Pennsylvania College of Technology.The committee also learned that CCTI's adult education program is thriving.The program is operating "more cost-effectively than it has in years," said administrative Director David Reinbold.Adult education site supervisor Francine Garenty-Kluck said that the program served 349 people in the 2013-2014 school year.The program will offer a 172-hour Class A commercial driver's license course, in partnership with LCCC, beginning July 14.Garenty-Kluck said the program's website is updated with new course offerings. The site can be accessed by visiting CCTI's site,

www.carboncti.org, and clicking on "Adult Education" on the left side of the screen.