SFMS $10,000 grant recipient

The Tennessee Department of Education recently announced over $700,000 in additional grants will be awarded to districts to fund science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and middle school career and technical education (CTE)., including $10,000 to South Fulton Middle School for the middle school STEM start-up grants and middle school CTE Career Exploration Grant.
Funding is provided through Governor Lee’s Future Workforce Initiative, which is aimed at increasing access to CTE and STEM in the classroom. The Middle School STEM Start-Up Grants will be awarded to schools in 25 districts, and schools in 15 districts will be awarded CTE Career Exploration Grants, with a total of 89 schools receiving grants.

“Ensuring our students have access to high-quality STEM and career and technical education is essential to building college and career readiness, and that work really begins before a student even enters high school,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “Tennessee has worked diligently to align STEM and CTE coursework to provide students with clearer pathways when transitioning from middle to high school. This is such important work to helping all our students have access to post-secondary opportunities and be put on a pathway to success.”

The Middle School STEM Start-Up and CTE Career Exploration Grants build upon the Best for All strategic plan to support all students exploring career paths and having access to post-secondary opportunities. Additionally, these grants directly support the goal of the Future Workforce Initiative to add an additional 100 new middle school STEM programs by 2022.

Districts were allowed to apply for each of the grants. In their applications, grant recipients demonstrated ability to align courses from middle school to high school, provide career guidance and advisement for students, and expand upon employer partnerships to create pathways for students. Grant funds will be available to districts Dec.1.

These grants build upon Middle School STEM Start-Up Grants, Middle School CTE Start-Up Grants, and EPSO (early post-secondary opportunities) Expansion Grants that were awarded to districts to promote this critical work last year. Read more about those grants here.

For more information about the Middle School STEM Start-Up Grants or CTE Career Exploration grants, visit the department’s website.

For Tennessee Department of Education media inquiries, contact Edu.MediaInquiries@tn.gov.