Longview Middle Schoolers Tour CTE Center Site
A 15-member student advisory group toured construction of the James Paul Brewer Career and Technical Education Center at Longview High School.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Longview ISD's middle school student advisory committee toured the construction site of the James Paul Brewer Career and Technical Education Center, led by Superintendent Dr. Marla Sheppard. Most students on the tour are eighth graders entering Longview High School next year.
Why it matters
The students had asked for more information about high school courses, especially career and technical education. The tour gives future students a firsthand look at programs being built with voter-approved bond funds.
The James Paul Brewer Career and Technical Education Center is part of Longview ISD's $456.2 million bond program approved by voters in May 2024. The 15-member advisory committee includes five students from each of three middle schools.
The players
Dr. Marla Sheppard
Dr. Marla Sheppard is the superintendent of Longview ISD, leading district efforts including the bond-funded school construction program.
James Paul Brewer
James Paul Brewer was a longtime Longview High School principal who devoted 40 years to Texas education before his death in 2023.
The details
The James Paul Brewer Career and Technical Education Center is under construction at Longview High School and will include nursing, engineering, law, cosmetology, and diesel auto mechanics programs. Business, banking, and culinary arts programs will be housed in the Trent Williams Indoor Multipurpose Center.
Timeline
May 2024: Voters approved the $456.2 million bond program.
2023: James Paul Brewer, longtime Longview High School principal, died after 40 years in Texas education.
May 2027: The CTE center is expected to reach substantial completion.
Third quarter of 2027: The center's anticipated opening, according to the district's bond project website.
Season Trajectory
The tour extends Longview ISD's expansion of career and technical education, with the bond-funded center adding nursing, engineering, law, cosmetology, and diesel mechanics programs at the high school level. It positions incoming eighth graders to plan their high school course selections around these new options.
Eighth graders entering Longview High School can plan course selections around the new nursing, engineering, law, cosmetology, and diesel mechanics programs. Families weighing career pathways can expect the center to open in the third quarter of 2027.
The takeaway
Students who explore career and technical education early can make more informed decisions about high school coursework. The tour shows how voter-approved bond funds translate into hands-on learning spaces for future students.
What happens next
The James Paul Brewer Career and Technical Education Center is expected to reach substantial completion in May 2027, with an anticipated opening in the third quarter of 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on Secondary Education to see how high school course options are shaping students' futures in Longview.
Source note: This article includes information reported by East Texas Review.
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