Oregon Expands Career Readiness with $7.3 Million Investment in Hands-On Learning for 148 Schools

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One hundred forty-eight Oregon middle schools and high schools — serving more than 66,000 students — have secured career readiness grants totaling $7.321 million, Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill and Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle announced yesterday.

The CTE Revitalization Grant funds from State of Oregon will serve diverse communities around the state, with programs focused on advanced manufacturing, engineering, agricultural science, app development, robotics, tourism, forestry, home renovation and health care.

“It’s been just great to see schools and students embrace these opportunities to learn real-world, hands on skills they will carry into the future,” said Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle. “It’s important that all students, no matter where they live get to experience unique CTE opportunities. There is no one way students learn or one path to success.”

In total, the 54 grants help to create or expand Career and Technical Education programs focused on high-wage, high-skill and in-demand fields such as Health Care, Manufacturing and Construction. The relationships these programs establish in their local and regional areas will provide valuable access to experience, expertise and additional forms of support to help programs provide relevant education and preparation for career and postsecondary learning experiences.

“Now more than ever, helping students prepare for the shift to college, career, and beyond is critical,” said Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill. “It is exciting to see the expansion of critical programs that align to high-need and high-wage opportunities. We’ve seen the power of CTE to support learner success and economic vitality, and we’re ready for more.”

Students who pass CTE courses graduate at higher rates when compared to the general student population. According to 2020-2021 school year figures, CTE concentrators (across all student populations) graduated at a 92.9-percent rate, 12.3 percentage points higher than the state as a whole.

In 2011, the Oregon Legislature established a competitive grant program entitled the CTE Revitalization Grant which strengthens the alignment of Career and Technical Education, workforce development and economic development.  In July 2015, Governor Kate Brown signed House Bill (HB) 3072 and HB 5016, authorizing $9.0 million for the Oregon Department of Education to continue the CTE Revitalization Grant program. During the 2021 legislative session, $7.3 million was allocated for CTE Revitalization.

The CTE Revitalization Advisory Committee — comprising representatives from organized labor, trade organizations, education and Oregon’s business, labor, industry and trades communities — reviewed 64 applications totaling $8.7 million in requests. The committee prioritized applications based on geographic diversity, community partnerships and programs that lead to high-wage, in-demand occupations, especially for historically and currently marginalized students.

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) jointly appoint the Career and Technical Education Revitalization Advisory Committee. Additional information on grant criteria and additional summaries of the projects selected for this round of funding can be found on the CTE Revitalization Grant web page.

2021-23 CTE Revitalization Grant Recipients

 

District/School/ESD

 

Project Name

 

Award Amount

Athena-Weston School District Athena Weston Food Science CTE POS Start-Up $125,000
Baker School District Baker SD Computer Science Pathway Proposal $116,250
Bethel School District Kalapuya YouthBuild Construction CTE Project $125,000
Bonanza High School Bonanza CTE Production Room $17,465
Camas Valley School District Start-Up for Agribusiness and Forestry $125,000
Central School District Central HS Greenhouse Revit Project $124,992
Clackamas Academy of Industrial Sciences Equitable Access to High Quality CTE Programs of Study  

$124,285

Columbia Gorge Education Service District Diversifying Access to High Tech in the Columbia Gorge $212,446
Corbett School District CTE Classroom Expansion $125,000
Cottage Grove High School South Lane Advanced Manufacturing for Cottage Grove Youth $124,240
Cove High School Cove CTE Revitalization Grant $125,000
Creswell School District Creswell HS Construction and Manufacturing Technology Expansion $125,000
Culver School District Culver SD STEM Farm and Skills Hub Academy $125,000
Dayton School District Reimagining Dayton HS WBL Opportunities $125,000
Dufur School District Dufur School District Ranger TECH Program $125,000
EagleRidge High School Manufacturing Engineering Technology Program of Study $125,000
Elgin School District Smarter Production Through Technology $250,000
Glide School District Glide Ag Sciences and Technology Program Revitalization $125,000
Harney Union High School District Crane Schools Mill Project $250,000
Helix School District Helix Construction CTE POS Start-Up New Project $63,898
J Bar J Youth Services JBJYS Vocational Education Program $125,000
Jefferson County School District Revitalizing Youth in Jefferson Cnty Through CTE $125,000
Junction City High School Digital Arts—Media & Publication $125,000
Kings Valley Charter School Barn Classroom Complex $125,000
Klamath County School District Designing Communication Collaboration and Student Success—Digital Media Arts $125,000
Klamath Union High School Digital Media—Live Broadcasting $124,259
La Grande School District Scaling Up to Home Construction $125,000
Lane Education Service District — Construction Constructing a Brighter Future $245,858
Lane Education Service District — Health Science Lane Health Science Hub $219,568
Lincoln City Career Technical High School You Can Fly—A New Aviation Career Pathway for Rural Oregon Students $125,000
Lost River Jr/Sr High School Making the Best Better at Lost River $125,000
Marcola School District Mohawk Ag Institute & CTE Program Enhancement $125,000
Marshall High School The BTA Bus: Enhancing Transportation Access to Community Partners $108,276
Multnomah Education Service District High Wage Careers for Incarcerated Youth $125,000
Neah-Kah-Nie School District Neah-Kah-Nie SD Construction Trades Classroom $125,000
Nestucca Valley School District Nestucca Valley Hospitality and Leisure $148,236
Oregon Trail School District Scale Up at SHS $125,000
Pine Eagle Charter School Utilities in Building Trades $125,000
Santiam Jr/Sr High School Santiam Canyon CTE Shop Expansion/Workspace $125,000
Sheridan AllPrep Academy SHAPA Pathways and West Valley Career Tech $125,000
Sheridan School District West Valley Career Tech Auto Tech Start-Up $125,000
Silver Falls School District Silverton High School Industry Modernization $125,000
St. Helens High School NW Construction Safety Videos $247,960
St. Paul School District St. Paul Agricultural Education Enhancement $125,000
Tigard-Tualatin School District Tualatin HS—Health Sciences and Hospitality Pathways Expansion $81,700
Tillamook School District Revitalizing Tillamook’s Welding Program $125,000
Ukiah School Ukiah Manufacturing CTE POS Start-Up Move Project $124,713
Union School District Union High School Laboratory Remodel $125,000
Vernonia School District Vernonia Forestry Building Expansion $123,100
Warrenton High School CTE for All: Warrenton HS Advanced Manufacturing $125,000
West Linn-Wilsonville School District West Linn-Wilsonville HS CTE Career Connections $125,000
Willamette Education Service District Pathways to the Future $249,799
Willamina School District Willamina Manufacturing—Bulldog Strong $125,000
Woodburn High School Equitable Access to Economic Empowerment $114,307
    $7,321,352

oregon.gov/ode

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