PIERRE, S.D – In a historic move, the South Dakota Department of Education has awarded 36 grants totaling $6.4 million to school districts to purchase innovative, industry-grade equipment for career and technical education (CTE) programs. 

“We gave schools a definite challenge to carefully examine their needs and let us know how we could help truly set their CTE programs up for long-term success.  Our districts rose to that challenge.  I am excited by the opportunities this grant will afford our students, and in turn our communities and businesses throughout the state,” said Secretary of Education Joe Graves.

CTE programs integrate academic knowledge with technical skills, preparing students for careers through hands-on training and industry-aligned curriculum. By emphasizing real-world applications and essential employability skills, CTE equips students with the tools they need for success in both college and the workforce in fields such as agriculture, healthcare, hospitality, engineering, and more.

The scale of this unprecedented, one-time grant opportunity was made possible by funds available to the department through the American Rescue Plan and the federal Perkins grant. 

The recipients of the grants are as follows: 

• Aberdeen Catholic Schools, $116,848.00;
• Aberdeen School District, $240,085.48;
• Baltic School District, $218,806.31;
• Brandon Valley School District, $221,683.81;
• Bridgewater-Emery, $122,011.14;
• Custer School District, $226,875.35;
• Deuel School District, $50,773.00;
• Douglas School District, $243,744.00;
• Eagle Butte School District, $222,924.72;
• Elk Point – Jefferson School District, $214,151.20;
• Faith School District, $228,987.96;
• Faulkton School District, $218,575.33;
• Freeman School District, $240,194.35;
• Groton School District, $244,871.00;
• Hanson School District, $141,000.00;
• Harrisburg School District, $199,678.72;
• Irene-Wakonda School District, $67,649.73;
• Kadoka School District, $123,347.56;
• Lake Preston School District, $54,220.36;
• Madison School District, $179,829.10;
• McIntosh School District, $106,384.33;
• Menno School District, $208,736.00;
• Mobridge-Pollock School District, $105,624.00;
• Oglala Lakota School District, $206,150.00;
• Parkston School District, $174,075.10;
• Rapid City Area Schools, $248,046.18;
• Rosholt School District, $86,738.36;
• Spearfish School District, $243,080.32;
• Stanley County School District, $245,827.26;
• Vermillion School District, $219,618.01;
• Wall School District, $250,000.00;
• Warner School District, $159,200.00;
• Webster Area School District, $217,695.00;
• West Central School District, $108,615.82;
• Wilmot School District, $136,918.52; and
• Wolsey-Wessington School District, $117,700.81.

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