Nine South Dakota Workforce Education Grants, totaling $1,418,942 have been awarded to South Dakota public school districts. In 2013, the South Dakota Legislature established the Workforce Education Fund. Part of that fund was designated to provide grants for career and technical education programs in secondary schools. Additional grants were awarded this year because the program is being supplemented with $360,042 in federal dollars available to the Department of Education through the American Rescue Plan.

“Career and technical education provides young people hands-on learning opportunities and helps them connect their classroom experience to their options for education and careers after graduation,” said Secretary of Education Tiffany Sanderson. “I commend these districts and their industry partners for offering cutting-edge programs in our middle and high schools.”

The purpose of the grant program is to make transformative change in career and technical education programs offered in middle and high schools. High quality CTE programs give students the knowledge, skills, and experiences to be prepared for postsecondary education and the workforce. Partnerships among secondary education, postsecondary education, and business and industry lay the foundation for modern CTE programs.