The Tennessee Department of Education has awarded more than $2.6 million in Perkins Reserve Grant (PRG) grant funds to 55 school districts to support career and technical education (CTE) programming in the 2024-25 school year.
According to a Wednesday department announcement, the grant initiative supports programs relating to emerging technology and “high-skill, high-wage” occupations where science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills are most in demand. In addition, the grant is designed to support districts in rural areas and help districts maintain student participation in CTE programs.
“Career and technical education plays an important role in every student’s academic journey,” Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds said in a public statement. “We look forward to seeing how districts utilize these grant funds to implement STEM curriculum, create career exploration opportunities for elementary and middle school students, and inform students on growing and new careers.”
The announcement noted that this year’s PRG grant award recipients submitted grant applications with action steps to advance STEM and CTE programming in elementary and middle school grade levels. It added that the PRG is a competitive grant opportunity made possible through the federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) legislation that was passed in 2018 to provide3 annual funding to support CTE programming nationwide.
This year’s recipients are as follows:
Alcoa City Schools – $50,000
Alvin C. York Institute – $46,148
Anderson County Schools – $50,000
Bedford County Schools – $50,000
Bledsoe County Schools – $23,145
Blount County Schools – $50,000
Bradford Special School District – $25,000
Bradley County Schools – $50,000
Bristol City Schools – $50,000
Cannon County Schools – $50,000
Chester County Schools – $26,781
Cocke County Schools – $50,000
Coffee County Schools – $50,000
Cumberland County Schools – $50,000
Decatur County Schools – $50,000
Dyer County Schools – $50,000
Dyersburg City Schools – $50,000
Franklin County Schools – $50,000
Germantown Municipal Schools – $50,000
Gibson County Special School District – $49,250
Giles County Schools – $50,000
Grainger County Schools – $50,000
Hardin County Schools – $50,000
Hawkins County Schools – $25,000
Humboldt City Schools – $50,000
Huntingdon Special School District – $49,813
Jackson County Schools – $50,000
Jefferson County Schools – $50,000
Johnson City Schools – $50,000
Johnson County Schools – $50,000
Lakeland School System – $50,000
Lewis County Schools – $50,000
Lincoln County Schools – $50,000
Lenoir City Schools – $50,000
Macon County Schools – $50,000
Millington Municipal Schools – $50,000
Oak Ridge Schools – $48,850
Overton County Schools – $50,000
Perry County Schools – $30,000
Polk County Schools – $50,000
Putnam County Schools – $50,000
Rutherford County Schools – $50,000
Smith County Schools – $43,356
South Carroll Special School District – $49,625
Sullivan County Schools – $50,000
Sumner County Schools – $50,000
Trenton Special School District – $50,000
Tullahoma City Schools – $50,000
Van Buren County Schools – $50,000
Warren County Schools – $50,000
Washington County Schools – $50,000
Wayne County Schools – $50,000
West Carroll Special School District – $50,000
White County Schools – $50,000
Wilson County Schools – $50,000
