Earlier this month, the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet awarded grants to three dozen schools across the state to create plans to strengthen their career and technical education curriculum. Of those, only 12 will be selected to get further funding to make those plans a reality.
The pilot program plans will be used as models to share with other schools as part of a Next Level Programs of Study curriculum being launched in the fall of 2021. The new curriculum is set to redesign CTE classes so more students earn work credentials while they’re in high school. If a plan is selected, it will receive $50,000 to carry it out during the next school year.
Cyndy Keeling is the director of agricultural curriculum at the Elkhart Area Career Center. Her program was awarded one of the planning grants to explore how it could connect high school students with part time work opportunities at local agriculture companies.
“Because that’s what our students really do lack,” she says. “We need to get them out there in apprenticeships and internships and really get the feel of 'Is this what I want to do?'”
Programs being awarded an implementation grant will be notified by May 15.
Contact Justin at jhicks@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @Hicks_JustinM.