Butler Tech - D Russel Lee Career Center

What Butler Tech - D Russel Lee Career Center does

Butler Tech (legal name: Butler Technology and Career Development Schools; founded 1975) is a public career-technical education (CTE) school district headquartered at 3605 Hamilton Middletown Rd, Fairfield Township, Ohio, serving more than 41,000 students annually across approximately eight campuses spanning Hamilton, Fairfield Township, Middletown, West Chester, LeSourdsville, Monroe, and Liberty Township. It delivers secondary-level CTE to high school students through partnerships with more than ten local school districts (Lakota, Fairfield, Hamilton, Edgewood, Colerain, Middletown, Monroe, Northwest, Ross, Talawanda) and adult workforce education directly, with programs spanning advanced manufacturing, aviation, bioscience and healthcare (including LPN and RN), information technology, criminal justice and public safety, welding, automotive, culinary, and creative arts. Signature offerings include the 375,000 sq ft Advanced Manufacturing Workforce and Innovation Hub (a $31 million, multi-party collaboration with Miami University, Butler County, the City of Hamilton, and OhioMeansJobs), the Project LIFE and Project SEARCH transition programs for students with disabilities, and College Credit Plus pathways through which seniors earn associate degrees before high school graduation. The D. Russel Lee campus in Fairfield Township is the institution's dedicated high-school technical education site for precision machining, welding, criminal justice, and automotive technology programs.

Revenue is generated principally through public education funding — state and local tax revenue, government grants, and federal education dollars — supplemented by adult-education tuition, employer-paid workforce development contracts (named employers include TriHealth, Cleveland-Cliffs, Phillips Tube, Molson Coors, and UC Health), and partnerships. High school programs are provided at no tuition cost to students; adult programs bill tuition annually with financial aid available. Distribution is regional and physical-first: eight campus locations, reselling high-school seats through district partnerships, and direct enterprise sales of customized workforce training to regional employers. The institution is governed by an elected Board of Education with Dr. William Sprankles serving as Superintendent, and the organization has no parent company, no venture funding, and no publicly disclosed financial statements. Support platforms include BT Career Connect for student-to-employer placement and Student Showcase for portfolio display.

Name

Butler Tech - D Russel Lee Career Center

Legal name

Butler Technology and Career Development Schools

Website

https://butlertech.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Butler Tech is a public Ohio career-technical school district serving 41,000+ students yearly across eight campuses, delivering secondary and adult CTE in manufacturing, healthcare, aviation, IT, and public safety in partnership with local districts, Miami University, and regional employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Career Technical Education Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Integrated Education & Training (IET) / Contextualized ABE (Workforce-Linked) (EDAAAAAK)

Keywords

• Career technical education
• Workforce training programs
• Adult education services
• Advanced manufacturing training
• Public school district

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: Butler Tech operates as a public career technical education school district funded through state and local tax revenue, government grants, and federal education funding
2. Adult Education Tuition: Adult education programs generate revenue through student tuition and workforce development contracts with employers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Butler Tech is a public career technical education school district that delivers hands-on technical training to high school students (free of tuition through district partnerships) and adult learners (tuition with financial aid) across more than 20 program areas including advanced manufacturing, aviation, healthcare/bioscience, information technology, criminal justice, welding, automotive, culinary arts, public safety, and arts. Programming is delivered via eight physical campuses in Butler County, Ohio, supported by digital platforms such as BT Career Connect for job placement and Student Showcase for project portfolios.

Product overview

Butler Tech is a career technical education institution serving more than 41,000 students yearly through a network of campuses and programs. D. Russel Lee Career Center is one of Butler Tech's campuses offering high school technical education programs. The institution provides career and technical education across multiple campuses including the Advanced Manufacturing Hub (a collaboration with Miami University), Aviation Center, Bioscience Center, School of the Arts, Natural Science Center, and Regional Public Safety Education Complex. Programs span manufacturing (precision machining, welding, mechatronics), healthcare (nursing, bioscience, veterinary science), public safety (police academy, fire rescue), information technology, aviation, culinary arts, and creative arts. The institution also operates supporting platforms including BT Career Connect for student employment and Student Showcase for displaying student projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• D. Russel Lee Campus High School CTE Programs High school career technical education programs in technical trades including precision machining, welding, criminal justice, and automotive technology, delivered at the D. Russel Lee campus on the Fairfield Township Campus in Ohio.
• Advanced Manufacturing Hub (AM Hub) A 375,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing workforce education facility in Hamilton, Ohio, formed by a $31 million collaboration between Miami University, Butler Tech, OhioMeansJobs Butler County, the City of Hamilton, and Butler County. Provides workforce training and education pathways from Butler Tech through to Miami University degrees in advanced manufacturing.
• Aviation Center Programs Aviation exploration and flight training education programs at the Middletown Campus, including FAA Drone Certification programs, for high school students.
• Bioscience Center Programs Both high school and adult education programs in bioscience and healthcare fields at the West Chester Campus, including nursing (LPN and RN programs) and biomedical sciences.
• School of the Arts Programs Visual art and design, performing arts, and music programs for high school students at the Fairfield Township Campus.
• Natural Science Center Programs Agricultural and environmental science programs including veterinary science and FFA (Future Farmers of America) education at the Monroe Campus.
• Regional Public Safety Education Complex Programs Law enforcement (Basic Police Academy recognized as STAR Police Training Academy by Ohio Attorney General), fire rescue, and emergency medical services training for adults and high school students at the Liberty Township Campus.
• College Credit Plus (CCP) Program Ohio's College Credit Plus program allowing Butler Tech high school students to earn college credits and associate degrees before graduation, including degrees in Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology and Manufacturing Engineering Technology in partnership with Miami University.
• Project LIFE Transition program for students with disabilities providing job training, employment support, and inclusion services, with network of community partnerships. Awarded the 2025 Ability Transcends Challenges Award by Disability Rights Ohio. Project LIFE is a registered trademark of Butler Tech.
• Project SEARCH Work-based learning program at healthcare facilities providing employment opportunities and career training for students with disabilities, including partnerships with West Chester Hospital and Miami University (celebrating 10+ years of operation).
• BT Career Connect Platform Career connection platform helping Butler Tech students and graduates find employment opportunities and connect with local employers for job placement and career advancement.
• Student Showcase Platform Online platform showcasing student projects and achievements across various CTE programs including engineering, automotive, veterinary science, and visual arts.
• Customized Employer Workforce Training Contracts Customized workforce training and apprenticeship programs sold directly to regional employers including Cleveland-Cliffs (industrial training and donated Forcible Entry Door Simulator for fire rescue training), Phillips Tube (adult education apprenticeships), Molson Coors (industrial maintenance workforce training), TriHealth (healthcare clinical pathways), TechSolve (mechatronics program), and Yaskawa (robotics and automation credentials for high school students).
• Driver Education and Testing Site Driver education and behind-the-wheel training program delivered through Butler Tech's Driver Education and Testing Site in Milford, expanding access to driver education services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 41,000+ students served annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Miami UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 February 2026Miami University partnered with Butler Tech on the $31 million Advanced Manufacturing Hub, providing workforce education pathways from Butler Tech through to Miami University degrees. The hub serves as the cornerstone of Miami University's polytechnic initiative.
• Butler CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 February 2026Butler County committed $20 million to the Advanced Manufacturing Hub project, representing the largest investment ever made by county commissioners, designed to provide workforce training pipeline for regional employers.
• City of HamiltoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 February 2026City of Hamilton collaborated on the Advanced Manufacturing Hub located in the repurposed former VORA Technology Park, aimed at addressing regional workforce needs.
• OhioMeansJobs Butler CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 February 2026OhioMeansJobs Butler County partnered on the Advanced Manufacturing Hub to provide workforce training and job placement services for residents.
• TriHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTriHealth partnership advances healthcare career training for Butler Tech students, providing clinical experience and employment pathways in healthcare.
• Molson CoorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides workforce training and career opportunities for Butler Tech students in industrial maintenance technology.
• Cleveland-CliffsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides customized industrial training for Cleveland-Cliffs employees and donated Forcible Entry Door Simulator for fire rescue training.
• Phillips TubeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBT Adult Education apprentices earn credentials and careers through apprenticeship programs at Phillips Tube manufacturing facility.
• American Sign MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Intuit and Butler Tech to unite for entrepreneurship education across the region.
• UC HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject SEARCH partnership at West Chester Hospital celebrating 10+ years of providing employment training for students with disabilities.
• Ohio Life SciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Ohio Life Sciences and Cincinnati Children's Hospital for cGMP training cohort and biopharma career placements.
• FC CincinnatiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExercise Science students partner with FC Cincinnati mascot for community engagement and sports-related learning activities.
• P&G AspireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStudent mentorship program connecting Butler Tech students with P&G professionals for career guidance.
• Local School DistrictscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with 10+ local school districts (Lakota, Fairfield, Hamilton, Edgewood, Colerain, Middletown, Monroe, Northwest, Ross, Talawanda) to deliver CTE programs to high school students.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sinclair Community College: Large Ohio public community college with extensive workforce and technical training programs including apprenticeships. Comparable in adult-learner technical and apprenticeship offerings across Southwest Ohio.
• Cincinnati State Technical and Community College: Public community/technical college in Cincinnati offering associate degrees and workforce credentials. Broader incumbent serving the same regional employer base and adult learners as Butler Tech.
• Lincoln Tech: Private for-profit CTE operator with campus locations across multiple states offering automotive, skilled trades, and healthcare programs. Comparable as a multi-campus CTE provider at scale, though for-profit and geographically diversified versus Butler Tech.

Direct peers

• Miami Valley Career Technology Center: Public Ohio CTE district in the Dayton/Miami Valley region serving high school and adult students. Comparable scale and program breadth to Butler Tech, including advanced manufacturing and health programs.
• Great Oaks Career Campuses: Public Ohio CTE district serving Greater Cincinnati with multiple campuses. Directly comparable to Butler Tech in mission, governance, and program mix (advanced manufacturing, healthcare, IT, public safety).
• Apollo Career Center: Public Ohio CTE center in Allen County serving high school and adult learners with career technical programs across multiple industries. Directly comparable as a similarly structured Ohio CTE district.
• Ohio Hi-Point Career Center: Public Ohio CTE center serving multiple central Ohio counties with high school and adult programs. Comparable in regional scale, funding model, and program breadth to Butler Tech.
• Warren County Career Center: Public Ohio CTE district for Warren County high school and adult learners. Directly comparable peer in governance structure and CTE program portfolio adjacent to Butler Tech's service area.
• Upper Valley Career Center: Public Ohio CTE district in the Miami/Darke County region offering similar high school and adult CTE programs. Directly comparable governance and funding model to Butler Tech.
• Scarlet Oaks Career Campus: Cincinnati-area public CTE campus under the Great Oaks district, serving high school and adult learners. Geographically closest comparable peer to Butler Tech's D. Russel Lee and Hamilton campuses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/butlertech
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Butlertech
• Facebookfacebook.com/ButlerTech
• Instagraminstagram.com/butlertech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/butler-tech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Butler Tech - D Russel Lee Career Center