The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development announces two competitive grant opportunities for FY17. For details, please visit the following links to download the RGAs.
The Department of Education recently announced 236 candidates (54 from Alaska) for the inaugural class of Presidential Scholars in CTE. The high school seniors were nominated from across the country by state education leaders, and now have the opportunity to submit applications in the next phase of the award process.
Application information will be due in February, with finalists announced in early May and the first group of 20 CTE Scholars recognized in Washington, DC in June as part of the annual U.S. Presidential Scholars Program recognition.
The paragraph below, from the Department of Education’s website, summarizes the program:
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students.
ACTE worked closely with Members of Congress and the Administration to promote the CTE Scholars program, and we are very excited to see the first class of candidates! It is an honor for students’ CTE accomplishments to be recognized as part of this prestigious national award.
Source: CTE Policy Watch
A new grant opportunity is available via the Title IIB Math & Science Partnership. This grant is for teacher/administrator professional development only, and will focus on the interface between Math, Science, and Career and Technical Education. Projects will prepare Alaskan teachers and building administrators to develop strategies, units, and ways of thinking that incorporate CTE principles into STEM coursework, and STEM principles into CTE classes to further Career and College Readiness.
Only eligible partnerships may apply for this grant. An eligible partnership includes:
Total funding for the program is $700,000 for FY17. EED expects to make 2-3 grant awards of $200,000 to $250,000 each. Grants are funded for one year (FY17), with the possibility of a second-year of no-cost extension should a grant have carryover funds (FY18). Continued funding of the grant for further years may be possible pending the availability of federal funding. Awards will be made solely on merit and the responsiveness of the proposed activities to grant objectives.
The fiscal agent for the grant shall be an LEA in the state of Alaska. (This may be either the high-needs LEA or a non-high-needs LEA partner.)
All projects must include an evaluation and accountability system designed to measure participant knowledge and skill acquisition via standardized pre-/post-tests.
An informational webinar about the RFP will be hosted via WebEx on March 8th from 3:00-4:00 PM.
You may download a copy of the RFP at https://education.alaska.gov/forms/nclbtitletwo/05-16-032.docx
All questions can be directed to the program administrator:
Bjørn Wolter, Ph.D.
Career & Technical Education
Alaska Department of Education & Early Development
907.465.6542
bjorn.wolter@alaska.gov
Source: Alaska Department of Education & Early Development – Career & Technical Education
Every high school student has the opportunity to earn money for school, whether it’s a trade school or traditional university. They can earn close to $5,000 a year for four years, a big incentive as school tuition continues to increase.
Cari-Ann Ketterling with the Alaska Process Industry Career Consortium and Rebekah Matrosova, the director of Outreach and Early Awareness joined Daybreak Wednesday to talk about the Alaska Performance Scholarship and how to qualify. Matrosova suggested it for her neighbor’s son, who she says wouldn’t have otherwise gotten the funding to help him land his dream job.
“He has two boys, not sure how to pay for their college. I think that’s a pretty common concern,” she said. “And between this and a few other things, his costs were almost completely covered.”
To apply for the Alaska Performance Scholarship, entry level qualifications include a 2.5 GPA, 21 on the ACT or 1450 on the SAT. The first step is to fill out a FAFSA application.
For more information on how to apply, click here.
Source: Workforce Wednesday: Helping Alaska students find money for school | KTVA Anchorage CBS 11
Young people need pathways to high-quality training and skills to compete for jobs
We believe every young person deserves a pathway to economic success. That’s why we’re announcing a new $75 million investment to expand high-quality career-focused education programs that lead to well-paying jobs and long-term careers. Failing to prepare young people with the right skills and education for these jobs is not just a missed opportunity for them—it’s a missed opportunity for businesses to hire the talent they need to grow and compete.
With the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium we are launching a multi-million dollar competition for states to expand and improve career-focused education that prepares students for high-skill and high-wage jobs.
Learn more details on this initiative, and click here (Opens Overlay) to learn more from the Council of Chief State School Offers about what you need to do to apply.
“Economic opportunity is increasingly out of reach for millions of young people. Without the right skills or education, they find themselves stuck in low-skill, low-wage jobs or unemployed. We are in investing in high-quality career-focused education programs so that more young people have a shot at real economic opportunity.”
Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Source: New Skills For Youth: Investing $75M Today to Build Tomorrow’s Economy | JPMorgan Chase & Co.
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