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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, June 19, 2008
CONTACT: Mary Stadick Smith, South Dakota Department of Education, (605) 773-7228, mary.stadicksmith@state.sd.us
Grants to boost curriculum, target technical skills
PIERRE, S.D. – Thirty-seven schools and educational cooperatives across South Dakota will receive a total of $1.5 million to fund career and technical education initiatives during the 2008-09 school year. (See list below.) The one-year grants will support 50 projects.
“Today’s CTE programs are focused on making high school rigorous and relevant,” said Mark Wilson, director of career and technical education for the South Dakota Department of Education. “They are not your old vocational education courses.”
Projects funded this year include development of a biotechnology course; establishment of hands-on curriculum in science, technology, engineering and math; and development of a pre-apprenticeship program.
The South Dakota Department of Education received more than $3 million in requests for CTE grants. Projects were selected based on their potential impact, sustainability, community need, and degree to which they encourage students to learn about and prepare for postsecondary education.
“With career and technical education, students begin to make the connection between what they’re studying now and what they’ll be doing five years from now,” Wilson said.
“With career and technical education, students begin to make the connection between what they’re studying now and what they’ll be doing five years from now,” Wilson said.
Academic and career planning is an important emphasis of the Department of Education’s High School 2025 initiative. High School 2025 provides schools with a framework to help students develop the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed at the postsecondary level and to be competitive in today’s global marketplace. It is part of the Workforce 2025 initiative.
CTE projects funded for 2008-09
Alcester-Hudson School District
Armour School District
Armour School District
Belle Fourche School District
Bridgewater School District
Brookings School District
Canton School District
Deuel School District
East Central Multi-District
East Dakota Educational Cooperative
Emery School District
Gettysburg School District
Hub Area Technical School
Huron School District
Lake Area Multi-District
Lake Area Technical Institute
Lennox School District
Madison Central School District
Meade School District
Mid-Central Educational Cooperative
Mitchell School District
Mitchell Technical Institute
Mobridge School District
Northern Hi-Tech Consortium
Northwest Area Multi-District
Rapid City Area School District
Sioux Falls School District
Tea School District
Todd County School District
Vermillion School District
Viborg School District
Wall School District
Warner School District
Watertown School District
Webster School District
Wilmot School District
Yankton School District
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