(Chattanooga, TN) Hamilton County Schools (HCS) receives a portion of $2.6 million in Perkins Reserve Grant funds for the 2023-24 School year to support Career and Technical Education programs.
July 3, 2023, the Tennessee Department of Education announced $2.6 million in Perkins Reserve Grant (PRG) funds have been awarded to 32 school districts for the 2023-24 school year for CTE programs. Signed into law on July 31st, 2018, The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, or Perkins V, provides nearly $1.3 billion in annual federal funding to support CTE programming for our schools.
The PRG funds aim to support the implementation of career pathways that align with high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand occupations or industries. Dr. Olivia Bagby, HCS’s Future Ready Institutes director, explained further what the ultimate goal for the district, “The big touchpoint grades as far as career exploration goes is 4th, 7th, and 10th. For years we've offered students very strong career exploration opportunities through their CTE programs of study in their high school level. So we are taking the next step this year as we dive into middle school. The district made a huge investment in middle school CTE by providing every school a CTE teacher, so this grant will be focused on getting some of those classes equipment.”
HCS will utilize the PRG funds for Career Exploration Equipment to help students of all ages learn about different career fields. For teachers and students alike, the ability to work with these new products presents a unique experience that will extend beyond the limitations of a brick classroom.
In fact, US Department of Education data states that, “Eight years after their expected graduation date, students who focused on CTE courses while in high school had higher median annual earnings than students who did not focus on CTE.”
HCS ensures that all schools are equipped, by offering more access to career exploration and planning with all students having a high-quality education and being better equipped for higher education pathways that align with their interests and goals.