Secretary of Education Susan Bunting today announced more than $400,000 in public grants to support new high school pathway programs. The effort expands on the statewide Delaware Pathways initiative to prepare all students to excel in key fields that offer good job opportunities in the new economy. The 40 competitive grants, awarded from federal Perkins funds, will benefit 16 districts or charter schools for the 2018-19 school year. Find a full list below.
The grants will support students as they enroll in advanced coursework and training in business information management, architectural engineering, public and community health, early childhood teacher preparation, agricultural power and engineering, and agricultural structures and engineering. This funding also expands opportunities for students to pursue training in current pathways, including business management and administration, healthcare, construction, and education and training. The new programs will begin in the 2018-19 school year.
Grant funds are used by school districts to implement career and technical education programs as part of a larger state effort to connect our public education system, post-secondary institutions, and employers. Students take hundreds of hours of specialized instruction and hands-on training in their pathways, giving them the opportunity to graduate with work experience, college credit, and industry credentials that are relevant to those industries. As a result, students receive a head start on getting a job and earning a degree.
“Delaware will hire or replace 30 percent of its workforce in the next eight years. These shifts require employers and schools to take a more active role in shaping Delaware’s talent pipeline,” Bunting said.
The Pathways programs currently serve about 9,000 students across 41 high schools. This is an increase from about 5,000 students last school year. Three years ago the program had one class of about 30 students.
Since 2015, more than $2 million has been allocated to support career opportunities for all youth.
Bunting made the announcement at Smyrna School District’s Smyrna High School, which is receiving five grants totaling $55,000 for its business information management, computer science, early childhood education, agriculture structures and agriculture power pathways.
“The agriculture and construction industries are facing a shortage of qualified workers, with the greying of today’s workforce. ABC Delaware is pleased to partner with the First State’s schools to help students prepare for the construction trades,” said ABC Delaware President Edward J. Capodanno. “With these new Agricultural Power & Engineering and Agricultural Structures & Engineering programs, we are helping students prepare for apprenticeships programs in construction after they graduate high school while helping to meet the needs of local businesses and companies. These programs put students on the pathway to successful employment.”
Pathways are developed in partnership with Delaware employers and institutions of higher education. The Department of Education provides curriculum support for each pathway as well as training for teachers to successfully implement the coursework. In addition, the department is working on agreements with Delaware colleges and universities to ensure that students who complete the new programs will be eligible for college credit at one or more institutions of higher education in the state.
College and career preparation is one of the educational focuses in Governor John Carney’s Action Plan for Delaware.
“Delaware Pathways is important for the future of our students and our state’s economy,” Carney said. “Our students learn academic and technical skills and also get meaningful work experience that prepares them for success after graduation.”
New Pathway Grant Awards Beginning in School Year 2018-19
Appoquinimink
Appoquinimink High School: Early Childhood Education Teacher Academy ($10,000)
Appoquinimink High School: Public and Community Health ($6,000)
Middletown High School: Early Childhood Education Teacher Academy ($10,000)
Middletown High School: Public and Community Health ($6,000)
Brandywine
Brandywine High School: Early Childhood Education Teacher Academy ($13,000)
Concord High School: Early Childhood Education Teacher Academy ($13,000)
Mt. Pleasant High School: Early Childhood Education Teacher Academy ($13,000)
Caesar Rodney
Caesar Rodney High School: Academy of Business Information Management ($12,000)
Caesar Rodney High School: Architecture Engineering Technology ($10,000)
Caesar Rodney High School: Early Childhood Education Teacher Education ($11,000)
Capital
Dover High School: Architecture Engineering Technology ($12,000)
Dover High School: Early Childhood Education Teacher Academy ($6,000)
Colonial
Penn High School: Environmental and Natural Resource Science ($12,000)
Delaware Military Academy
Delaware Military Academy: Academy of Business Information Management ($12,000)
Delmar
Delmar High School: K-12 Teacher Academy ($10,000)
Indian River
Indian River High School: Computer Science ($5,000)
Indian River High School: Nurse Assisting ($11,000)
Sussex Central High School: Agriculture Power and Engineering ($14,937)
Sussex Central High School: Agriculture Structures and Engineering ($14,763)
Lake Forest
Lake Forest High School: Agriculture Power and Engineering ($15,000)
Milford
Milford High School: Agriculture Structures and Engineering ($15,000)
Milford High School: Public and Community Health ($15,000)
New Castle County Vocational Technology
Hodgson Technical High School: Cisco Networking Academy ($7,500)
Howard Technical High School: Cisco Networking Academy ($7,500)
Polytech
Polytech High School: Cisco Networking Academy ($7,500)
Polytech High School: Early Childhood Education Teacher Academy ($7,000)
Red Clay
AI Dupont High School: Academy of Business Information Management ($12,000)
AI Dupont High School: K-12 Teacher Academy ($5,000)
Conrad School of Science: Computer Science ($5,000)
Thomas McKean High School: Early Childhood Education Teacher Academy ($11,000)
Thomas McKean High School: Environmental and Natural Resource Science ($12,000)
Smyrna
Smyrna High School: Academy of Business Information Mgmt. ($12,000)
Smyrna High School: Agriculture Structures and Engineering ($15,000)
Smyrna High School: Computer Science ($5,000)
Smyrna High School: Early Childhood Education Teacher Academy ($8,000)
Smyrna High School: Agriculture Power and Engineering ($15,000)
Sussex Tech
Sussex Technical High School: Cisco Networking Academy ($7,500)
Woodbridge
Woodbridge High School: Agriculture Structures and Engineering ($12,821)
Woodbridge High School: Computer Science ($5,000)
Woodbridge High School: K-12 Teacher Academy ($5,000)
