Mrs. Parker is the Coordinator of the Practical Nursing Program and facilitates all financial aid for the students. She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Thiel College and a Masters of Science in Nursing with a specialty in Education from Western Governors University. During her nursing career she worked in medical and surgical areas as well as the specialty areas of oncology, dialysis, post-anesthesia, home care, quality improvement, and was a certified intravenous nurse. She has over 30 years’ experience serving in management and administrative positions.

Practical Nursing
About This Course
Join the No. 1 ranked Practical Nursing Program in Pennsylvania (as voted by Nursing School Almanac)! The Crawford County Career and Technical Center’s Practical Nursing Program is an award-winning program based in Meadville, PA, 45 minutes south of Erie, PA. Learn everything you need to know about our Crawford County Practical Nursing Program right here!
Facts About LPNs & Job Growth
If you’re wondering whether a career as an LPN is the right choice for you, consider these facts:
- The employment rate for the graduates of our program is 100%.
- In Pennsylvania, there is a projected 20.3% increased need for LPNs through 2022, translating to 1,620 annual job openings. (Source: Projections Central)
- Pennsylvania will be short at least 2,000 LPNs by 2025. (Source: The Future of the Nursing Workforce: National & State Level Projections, 2012 to 2025, Department of Health & Human Services)
- The US Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that “Employment of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses is projected to grow 16% from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations.”
- Over the next six years, Pennsylvania is likely to face an ever-growing gap between the LPN positions and the supply of LPNs to fill these positions.
- Pennsylvania’s nursing shortage is not unique. National studies reveal that almost every state is facing similar challenges.
- Job growth is occurring throughout all of the healthcare settings but especially in nursing care facilities, community care facilities, and home health services.
- Pennsylvania is seeing a higher demand for LPNs because of a rapidly aging population across the commonwealth, creating new demand for healthcare services.
Our Curriculum
Our curriculum meets the state educational requirements for licensed practical nurse certification in: Pennsylvania, New York, Florida, Oklahoma, and Ohio
No determination has been made of whether the curriculum meets educational requirements for any other states.
Our History
The first class of The Crawford County Career and Technical Center Practical Nursing Program graduated in 1969. Since then, a class has graduated every year.
Our Class Schedule
Each new class begins in August and concludes the following August, for a total of 54 weeks (13 months) of classroom/clinical instruction.
We divide our program into 18-week trimesters, with about 28 hours per week of class time.
Our classroom days are from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, and our clinical days are from 6:50 am to 3:30 pm.
Our Licensure Pass Rate
We’re proud of our graduates’ licensure pass rate! 97% of our graduates from 2019 through 2021 have passed the licensing exam on their first attempt.
Our Job Placement Rate
According to data gathered from the 2019-2021 Academic Years, Crawford County Career and Technical Center has a job placement rate of 96% with an 80% survey response rate.
Our program has a three-year average retention rate of 53% (based on data collected from 2019-2021) and the on-time completion rate from 2021 is 71%.*
*On-time completion means that CCCTC graduates completed the program within an 18-month time frame.
Our Accreditation
Practical Nursing Standard Occupational Classification, CIP Code: 51.3901
Approved by:
PA State Board of Nursing
PA Department of Education
The practical nursing program at Crawford County Career & Technical Center located in Meadville, Pennsylvania is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326, (404) 975-5000.
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the practical nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.
Rebecca Parker MSN, RN
Coordinator, Financial Aid Officer
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Tamera Vukas MSN, RN
Instructor
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Ms. Vukas is the Practical Nursing Instructor. She received an associate degree in nursing from the Community College of Beaver County in 2008. She advanced her education with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Clarion University followed by a master’s degree in the Science of Nursing and a Nurse Practitioner certificate from Wilkes University. She has over fifteen years of experience in intensive care nursing, medical-surgical nursing, long-term care, and pediatrics. Her passion for nursing is to teach a new generation of nurses.
Our Application Process
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Please follow these steps:
- Access an Application. You can stop at the school (860 Thurston Rd, Meadville, PA 16335) to pick up a physical copy or download a form here.
- Complete and submit the Application Form with the $10.00 application fee. The application form should be sent to 860 Thurston Rd, Meadville, PA 16335. Please make the check payable to CCCTC-PN.
- Contact your high school. Have your transcript or G.E.D. sent to this address: Crawford County Career & Technical Center, Practical Nursing Program, 860 Thurston Road, Meadville, PA 16335
Admissions Documents
Tuition & Financial Aid Information
Tuition and Fees – 1500 Hours/12 Month Program
Tuition and Fees – 2023-2024
In-State Tuition: $16,535
Out-of-State Tuition: $18,335
Program Fees: $670
The Crawford Tech PN Program has adopted a refund policy, which is in keeping with the requirements of the Federal Title IV Refund guidelines. See the Refund Policy at the bottom of the Financial Aid tab.
To estimate your tuition, click on the calculator below:
Cost of Attendance
PN Program Cost of Attendance
Financial Aid
Upon acceptance into our program, students will follow this process:
- Students will be instructed to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The application is generally completed online with an electronic signature. However, a paper FAFSA can also be submitted. [Access FAFSA]
- After submitting the FAFSA, students should receive an email instructing them to access the student aid report (SAR) online. Students who do not supply a valid email address during the FAFSA will receive the SAR in the mail. The SAR reports the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which is used to determine the student’s financial need for aid. Students should review the SAR for accuracy and report any need for correction to the program’s Financial Aid Officer.
- The Central Process System (CPS) will select students for data verification. Selected students will receive an asterisk next to the EFC number of the SAR. In addition, the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), which is available electronically to the school, will have an asterisk indicating the need for data verification. The Financial Aid Officer will verify all of the selected student’s SAR information, utilizing the Verification Policy guidelines. IRS retrieved information will be accepted as verified, except for number in household and number in college, if no changes have been made to the SAR. No financial aid is awarded until the verification process is complete and all needed corrections are made.
- The Pell Award is calculated based on the student’s EFC number and the Cost of Attendance (COA) for the individual student. The COA is an estimate of the student’s educational expenses for the period of enrollment. Included in the COA is: tuition & fees, books, supplies, transportation, room & board, dependent care expenses, disability-related expenses, loan fees, and licensing fees. Expenses are determined by a survey distributed to students, in addition to data collected from the funding agencies. All expenses are prorated, based on period of attendance, i.e.; 900 hr., 600 hr., 500 hr. Once the Pell Award is calculated for each student, and the student’s COA is determined, the financial analysis is completed to determine the financial need. The financial need is basically: COA – EFC = Financial Need.An Individual Loan Plan is developed with the student to identify their loan needs. All other available financial aid is considered while determining the student’s loan needs. Eligibility for funding through local agencies is researched.
- A Master Promissory Note (loan application) is read, completed online and signed electronically. Next, Entrance Counseling is completed online. Once the MPN is signed, Entrance Counseling is completed, the loan certification process can take place. The FAO submits the certification electronically via the EdExpress/EDConnect system. The loans are certified for the amounts determined during the financial need analysis.
Disbursement of Funds
Based on the EFC number on the ISIR, the FAO originates the Pell Award disbursement via EDEXpress/EDConnect System. On the disbursement dates, a disbursement roster is accessed via the Data Link system and reviewed for accuracy. This disbursement roster then attached to a request and sent to the Business Office. The Business Office staff checks the CPS to determine if the monies are available. Monies are electronically transferred to the school account and are immediately transferred to the PN tuition account. The individual Pell Award amounts are then allocated to the student’s individual student account within 3 business days.
Students receive receipts indicating the amount of Pell monies deposited in their account. The Business Office receives an annual report from the DOE indicating the amount of Pell disbursed to the school for the previous year.
The student loans are disbursed electronically. A disbursement roster is accessed via the EDEXpress/EDConnect system and sent to the Business Office with a request to transfer the monies to the PN program tuition account. The monies are then transferred into the students’ individual account within 3 business days. The student receives a Loan Disbursement form to review and sign. This is maintained in the financial aid file. Receipts are also distributed to the student indicating the loan amounts that were disbursed into their account. If a student is due a refund, a check from the student’s account is made to the student. A copy of this check is kept in the student’s file.
Disbursement dates for both Pell and Direct Loans are set as follows: First payment period (900 hours). First installment is 30 calendar days after the student begins. Second installment is at 450 hours of the first payment period.
Second payment period (600 hours) is first installment of first day of the payment period. Second installment is at 300 hours of the second payment period.
SSCR: The Student Status Confirmation Record is maintained by the FAO via www.nslds.fap.ed.gov. It is updated every 60 days.
Withdrawal/Termination/Graduation: The FAO conducts an exit interview or the student completes an online exit interview, to inform the student of loan repayment responsibilities and default consequences. If no interview is possible, exit counseling information is sent via certified mail, to the student. A copy of this notice is maintained in the student’s file. Upon updating the SSCR, the student is identified with the appropriate code indicating withdrawal/graduation. All Title IV refunds are made according to regulations/policy.
Important Financial Aid Links
FAFSA
Refund Policy
Eligibility for Title IV Funding
Title IV Code of Conduct
Return of Title IV Funding
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Entrance Counseling/Master Promissory Note/Exit Counseling
Student Financial Aid Guide
For Financial Aid Information, call Crawford Tech’s Practical Nursing Program (814) 724-6028. Ask for the Financial Aid Officer.
Additional Program Info
Safety & Security
2019 – 2020
There were no reported criminal offenses, hate crimes, VAWA offenses on campus for the 2019-2020 school year. There were 2 arrests for weapons and 1 arrest for drug abuse violations
2020-2021
There were no reported criminal offenses, hate crimes, VAWA offenses on campus for the 2020-2021 school year. There was 1 arrest for drug abuse violations.
2021-2022
There were no reported criminal offenses, hate crimes, VAWA offenses on campus for the 2021-2022 school year.
2022-2023
There were no reported criminal offenses, hate crimes, VAWA offenses on campus for the 2022-2023 school year. There were 2 arrests for drug abuse violations.
Gainful Employment Disclosures
Graduates of the Crawford County Career & Technical Center Practical Nursing Program have a 100% employment rate.
These disclosures were last updated in 2019.
Program Name: The Practical Nursing Program of Crawford County Career & Technical Center
Program Timeframe: This program is designed to be completed in 54 weeks, and it is normally completed within the 54-week time frame.
Program Costs: This program will cost $18,120 if completed within normal time. There may be additional costs for living expenses. These costs were accurate at the time of posting, but may have changed. This price includes books, supplies and equipment. Of the students who completed this program within normal time, the typical graduate leaves with $16,500 of debt.
Program Licensure: This program meets licensure requirements in the following states:
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- Florida
- Oklahoma
- Ohio
For more information about graduation rates, loan repayment rates, and post-enrollment earnings about this institution and other postsecondary institutions please click here: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
For a report on Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses tasks, technologies, job requirements, and more: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2061.00
CARES Act
The CARES Act provides fast and direct economic assistance for American workers and families, small businesses, and preserves jobs for American industries.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed into law by President Trump on March 27th, 2020. This over $2 trillion economic relief package delivers on the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting the American people from the public health and economic impacts of COVID-19.
Crawford Tech CARES #1 – Student Portion Reporting
Crawford Tech CARES #2 – Institutional Portion Reporting
Crawford Tech CARES #3 – Institutional Portion Reporting
Crawford Tech CARES Act Grant Award
Crawford Tech Emergency CARES Grant
CRRSAA & ARP Student Reporting
HEERF Quarterly Reporting
2020
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter
2021
1st Quarter
2nd Quarter
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter
2022
1st Quarter
2nd Quarter
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter-n/a