The Tennessee Department of Education announced today 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).

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.

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.

“Cumberland County CCTE is very appreciative of receiving both STEM and Career Exploration Start-up grants,” said Dr. William Maddox, CTE Director of Cumberland County Schools. “Cumberland County has 3 teams of teachers that offer classes in STEM, Agriculture, and FACS that travel each day and serve 9 different K-8 schools. The STEM grant will allow our traveling teachers to provide VEX robotic instructional material at additional schools. Cumberland County has also invested in Naviance software in order to implement career exploration in the 7-8 grades. The Career Exploration Start-Up grant will allow us to place computer carts in CCTE classrooms in order for students to use Naviance in career exploration.”

Here is the list of interest of grant recipients:

MIDDLE SCHOOL STEM START-UP GRANTS

Cumberland County – $27,000 for North Cumberland Elementary, Crab Orchard Elementary and South Cumberland Elementary Schools

Loudon County – $19,759 for North Middle School and Philadelphia Elementary

Oak Ridge Schools – $20,000 for Jefferson Middle and Robertsville Middle School

Overton County Schools – $48,979 for Hilham Elementary School, Livingston Middle School, Wilson Elementary School, Allons Elementary School and Rickman Elementary School.

Putnam County – $10,000 for Algood Middle School and Avery Trace Middle School

Rhea County – $20,000 for Rhea County Middle School and Spring City Middle School

Roane County – $30,000 for Harriman Middle School, Midway Middle School and Rockwood Middle School

MIDDLE SCHOOL CTE START-UP GRANTS

Loudon County – $10,000 for Ft. Loudoun Middle School

EARLY POSTSECONDARY EXPANSION GRANTS

Meigs County – $10,000 for Meigs County High School

Overton County – $9,900 for Livingston Academy