Joplin Board delays decision on joining CAPS program

Will they or won’t they?

There was no final decision by the Joplin Board of  Education at its meeting earlier in the week about joining Missouri Southern’s CAPS program.

The program sets up a collaboration among schools, colleges and universities and industries. It helps students begin work on goals in industry while they’re still in school. If the Joplin district does agree to the program, they’ll have 59 seats.

The problem: The city will have to pay for the seats at $2,498 a pop whether or not all 59 are filled.

School Board Members aren’t sure if the program is cost-efficient if those seats aren’t filled up.