Marion Technical Institute provides educational and career programs to meet the needs of students throughout Marion County. MTI, centered in the heart of Florida, offers a program unique in Marion County and the state of Florida. The school opened its doors in August 2005 and has continued to grow in numbers of students and program opportunities. With the influence and support of its Task Force and the business community, MTI provides excellent career programs.

As the first CHOICE® replication site in the state of Florida, MTI has been acknowledged for its high quality programs offering students career, college, and national industry/business certification opportunities. In 2006, MTI’s partnership with business organizations and high quality business/community involvement was recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor. In 2007-2008, MTI was honored to be noted as a Model School by the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE)®. In 2008, MTI was honored to present at the international conference for ICLE at which more than 30,000 educators from around the world attended. MTI is the first Marion County high school to present at this conference. And, unbelievably, MTI was asked to present again at the 2009 conference.

Currently MTI students may enroll in the following:

• Automotive Technology & Light Repair
• Career Academy at the College of Central Florida
• Construction Technologies 
• Culinary Arts & Baking
• Early Childhood Education
• First Reponder
• Information Technology
• Welding

Click here for a short video about programs. 

College credit (through the College of Central Florida) can be received through taking classes on campus or by enrolling in the Career Academy with its classes on the Ocala campus. Regardless of the student's career interest, there are opportunities for receiving national, industry-recognized certifications. In addition, MTI students have the option of receiving Florida Bright Futures Scholarships.

MTI staff includes instructional and non-instructional staff members based on student enrollment. The MTI student enrollment at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school was 386 with students in grades 9 and 12. 

MTI's Exceptional Student Education program follows the inclusion model with regular interaction between the students, teachers and the school’s ESE coordinator. The ESE coordinator works with teachers to ensure the Individual Educational Plan is followed and students are given the appropriate modifications and support.

The following provides a few points of information about MTI:

• The school facility was built in 1956 with some structural additions made since that time. Eight years ago, the school district undertook renovating the career classrooms to house MTI. For the most part, the facility remains the same as when vacated by the previous high school occupant.
• According to the state criteria for school grades, MTI is not eligible to receive a school grade based on student enrollment and a lack of tenth grade students tested. Generally the school does not receive AYP evaluation.
• Teachers are highly qualified.
• The Career Academy is located on the College of Central Florida campus. Students enrolled in this academy graduate with college credits and have the option of receiving training in a wide range of career fields – including fire fighting, cosmetology, veterinary medicine and more.

The focus for MTI has been on strengthening academics and combining classroom activities with careers through interdisciplinary projects. Teachers and students diligently work to increase the number of national certifications earned. The school believes in giving students the opportunity to learn in the workplace – putting skills to work – and learning much more than what can be taught within four walls. MTI is dedicated to offering rigor, relevance and relationship. Rigor is the challenge offered to students in career education, relevance tying together what the students are learning based and their expressed interests, and relationship is building positive connections between teachers, students, parents, school, and community.