In 1963, the Ohio State Legislature passed the Vocational Education Act (3313.90 Ohio Revised Code) which required each school district in Ohio to offer vocational education to all students. As a result, school officials and community leaders combined efforts to form the Washington County Career Center.
With the assistance of the Ohio Division of Vocational Education, lay committees, including representatives of industry, business, school, and other interest groups, studied the need for vocational education in the county. They surveyed the needs and interest of industry, high school youth, and employers.
The school districts of Belpre, Fort Frye, Marietta, Warren, and Wolf Creek organized a Joint Vocational School District which the Ohio State Board of Education approved in March 1967. The new Vocational Board of Education with the help of local, state, federal, Appalachian Regional Commission funds, and staff time from the participating school districts, began to develop a program for the county. But in the November 1967 election, the electorate turned down a bond issue for the construction and an operating levy.
The Frontier Local School District soon became a part of the joint vocational district making all districts in the county participants. The voters then approved a $1,520,000 bond issue in November, 1969, and a ½ -mill operating levy in December. While still under construction, the school opened its door to students in the fall of 1972 and was dedicated the following spring.
The voters of Washington County approved an additional 1-mill operating levy in November, 1973 and a ½-mill operating levy in November, 1980. The school is currently operating on 1.8-mills, which is one of the lowest millage rates of all the vocational school districts in Ohio.