Pierre, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Education named nine South Dakota school districts as the 2026 recipients of the South Dakota Perkins Reserve Grant. Each school district will use the funds to provide major equipment upgrades for Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

The equipment enhancements made possible through this grant will accelerate districts’ CTE programs. High-quality CTE programs provide students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences to prepare them for post-secondary education and the workforce.

“CTE programs are constantly evolving to match the pace of workforce needs,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Joseph Graves. “The South Dakota Perkins Reserve Grant aids schools in equipping students with current technologies, resources, and tools, offering students a realistic, hands-on learning experience that will strengthen their marketability to colleges or employers once they leave the K-12 education system.”

The following school districts have been named as the 2026 recipients:

• Aberdeen School District was awarded $30,233 for new precision machine equipment for the manufacturing program;
• De Smet School District was awarded $15,898 for modernizing metal fabrication within agriculture programs;
• Lake Preston School District was awarded $43,160 for expansion of program offers in multiple career clusters to strengthen industrial alignment;
• McLaughlin School District was awarded $11,997 to purchase equipment to offer a new culinary arts program;
• Menno School District was awarded $32,844 to purchase small engines and attend professional development opportunities to enhance the agricultural mechanics program;
• Mitchell School District was awarded $38,663 for the modernization of the automotive technology lab;
• Timber Lake School District was awarded $42,400 for the expansion of agriculture course offerings to strengthen industry alignment;
• Wakpala School District was awarded $40,145 to purchase a skid steer simulator to enhance the agriculture and construction program; and
• Wolsey-Wessington School District was awarded $26,201 to purchase industry-aligned equipment to enhance the agriculture and construction program.

To learn more about the South Dakota Perkins Reserve Grant, visit doe.sd.gov/cte/perkins.aspx.  

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