LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Education is awarding nearly $44.7 million more in state funding to 80 districts to expand Career and Technical Education programs in communities with limited options or documented opportunity gaps.
The competitive grants come through Section 61v of the State School Aid Act. Combined with first-round awards from April, the total reaches $68.5 million over a three-year period. Officials said the latest round alone will help fund 229 new CTE programs across 117 school districts statewide, including 57 middle schools.
State Superintendent Dr. Glenn Maleyko said the money will help create learning spaces aligned with high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand careers after he heard from educators and students about the need for relevant CTE close to home. Modern CTE covers advanced manufacturing, mechatronics, construction trades, health sciences, engineering, digital technology, agriculture, and related fields.
Grand Rapids Public Schools was awarded $487,810 for programs including agricultural operations, woodworking, and business administration. Mackinac Island Public Schools received $133,100 for a new construction trades program that keeps students from having to leave the island for mainland vocational facilities in winter.
Alpena Public Schools secured about $3.05 million across eight applications, the largest recipient in this funding round according to local reporting, out of more than $44 million distributed statewide. State Board of Education President Dr. Pamela Pugh said the variety of programs and districts shows new learning doors opening for students who may never have had those experiences.