JONESBORO — A federal grant program is helping Clayton County students on their career pathways.
Clayton County Public Schools was one of 19 school systems in the U.S. — out of 119 applications — to receive a Perkins Innovation and Modernization Grant.
The $4.1 grant is for three years with the possibility of two more years.
“I’m just so excited about it,” CCPS Assistant Superintendent of Strategic Improvement Monika Wiley said during a Jan. 29 Clayton County Board of Education work session.
The grant will help CCPS improve and modernize career and technical education.
The grant money will go to Career, Technical and Agricultural Education programs at Drew (Allied Health, Firefighter, EMS), North Clayton (EMS, Flight Operations, Flight Maintenance, and Teaching as a Profession), and Riverdale (Firefighter, EMS, and Computer Science) high schools.
The objectives of the program for the project schools are to increase dual enrollment, increase workforce development, increase the number/percentage of students early an industry-recognized credential, and create an individualized college and/or career plan for each student.
Ten seniors will also get a $5,000 scholarship based on their career pathways and current seniors are eligible to apply, Wiley said.
The grant has a 50% local match but Wiley said there is no additional ask for funding as money is already budgeted.
“This is phenomenal — very exciting and a very big deal,” School Board member Joy Tellis-Cooper said. “I already know this is going to be a huge success.”
She also asked about sustainability and about expanding it to each high school.
“We want to make sure that we are continuing this and scaling it to other schools,” Wiley said.
School Superintendent Anthony Smith said CCPS is looking at tapping into other federal and state funds.
“We feel like Sen. (Jon)…
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