Pennsylvania Department of Education Announces $1.7 Million in Career and Technical Education Equipment Grants, 42 Schools to Share Funding

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Acting Secretary of Education Carolyn Dumaresq today announced that 42 schools will share $1.7 million in funding for the purchase of equipment for career and technical education programs.

"This funding will allow these schools to acquire new, state-of-the-art equipment for students to train for the jobs of tomorrow," Dumaresq said.  "Governor Corbett believes that providing students with access to high-quality resources will ensure their competitiveness with their peers in the local, national and global workforce."

As a competitive grant, the Career and Technical Education Equipment Grant program provides funding for schools to purchase equipment that meets industry standards.  Funding must be used to purchase equipment for the purpose of training students in approved career and technical education programs, which must align with the following Pennsylvania targeted industry cluster areas:

• Advanced Materials and Diversified Manufacturing
• Agriculture and Food Production
• Bio-Medical Industry
• Building and Construction
• Business and Financial Services
• Energy Industry
• Health Care
• Information and Communication Services
• Logistics and Transportation
• Lumber Wood and Paper

The department received 51 applications from school districts and career and technical centers across the state.  Each proposal was reviewed and scored based on the program's plan to integrate new equipment into its curriculum as well as a professional development plan to ensure instructors know how to use the new equipment.

"Pennsylvania's employers require their employees to have the skills to meet the demands of the business community," Dumaresq said.  "This investment will ensure that students have a hands-on learning experience that will benefit them in their chosen career."

Media contact: Tim Eller, 717-783-9802

Editor's note: Below is the list of schools that have been awarded a grant, the county and the amount of the grant.

A.W. Beattie Career Center, Allegheny County, $34,183
Beaver County Career and Technology Center, Beaver County, $43,187
Bedford County Technical Center, Bedford County, $10,000
Berks Career and Technology Center, Berks County, $50,000
Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School, Northampton County, $49,050
Bucks County Technical High School, Bucks County, $50,000
Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School, Butler County, $17,525
Central Montco Technical High School for the Arts, Sciences and Technology, Montgomery County, $16,410
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology, Centre County, $50,000
City of Erie Regional Career and Technical School, Erie County, $49,900
Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School, Columbia County, $50,000
Delaware County Technical High School, Delaware County, $26,790
Eastern Center for Arts and Technology, Montgomery County, $31,550
Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center, Westmoreland County, $44,500
Erie County Technical School, Erie County, $20,800
Fayette County Career and Technical Institute, Fayette County, $46,205
Forbes Road Career and Technology Center, Allegheny County, $35,086
Greater Altoona Career and Technical Center, Blair County, $50,000
Jefferson County-DuBois Area Vocational-Technical School, Jefferson County, $42,500
Lancaster County Career and Technology Center, Lancaster County, $49,469
Lancaster School District, Lancaster County, $3,627
Lawrence County Career and Technical Center, Lawrence County, $32,750
Lebanon County Career and Technology Center, Lebanon County, $35,950
Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, Lehigh County, $50,000
Lenape Technical School, Armstrong County, $50,000
Middle Bucks Institute of Technology, Bucks County, $37,750
Monroe Career and Technical Institute, Monroe County, $17,602
North Montco Technical Career Center, Montgomery County, $50,000
Northern Tier Career Center, Bradford County, $10,750
Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center, Westmoreland County, $9,377
Northumberland County Career and Technology Center, Northumberland County, $17,150
Philadelphia City School District, Philadelphia County, $50,000
Reading Muhlenberg Career and Technology Center, Berks County, $50,000
Schuylkill Technology Centers, Schuylkill County, $18,278
Somerset County Technology Center, Somerset County, $38,211
SUN Area Technical Institute, Union County, $40,123
Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center, Susquehanna County, $36,899
Upper Bucks County Technical School, Bucks County, $50,000
Warren County Technical School, Warren County, $49,589
West Side Career and Technology Center, Luzerne County, $24,600
Williamsport Area School District, Lycoming County, $5,564
York County School of Technology, York County, $50,000

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Education