Montgomery County School Board Updated on CTAE Projects

Federal Programs/CTAE Director for Montgomery County Schools Julie Harrelson updated the county school board about the status of programs under her purview during the board’s regular session on Monday, September 21. Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) focuses on preparing Georgia's students for their next step after high school— college, beginning a career, registered apprenticeships, or the military. Georgia CTAE pathway course offerings, and a new Educating Georgia's Future Workforce initiative, build partnerships with industry and higher education to ensure students have the skills they need to thrive as members of the future workforce. CTAE offers students more than 130 career pathways within the 17 Georgia Career Clusters.

At a previous board meeting, Harrelson was commended for obtaining a Perkins Plus Competitive grant of $11,000, which enables instructors to help students develop work skills. The program provides shadowing with an on-line panel, which will offer feedback on the students’ progress in applying and interviewing for employment.

Harrelson reported that the school systems’ current total Federal Perkins V (CTAE) allocation is $27,702; the total CTAE state grants allocation is $23,850; and the Agricultural Education Grant totals $14,732. An additional $2,108 has been allocated through the federal ESSER CARES Act Funds (CTAE Grants), and another $775 through federal CARES Act funds (Agricultural Education Grants).

Harrelson advised board members of the goals developed during a spring 2020 CTAE local needs assessment. These goals will be addressed with Perkins Grant funds. The three areas of overreaching need determined in the assessment were: boosting the performance of disadvantaged students in business and technology assessments for future credentialing; increasing student participation in work-based learning; and increasing memberships in: Future Business Leaders of America; Family, Career and Community Leaders of America; and Career and Technology Students Organization.

Superintendent Hugh Kight’s report highlighted upcoming events including a teacher in-service day on October 8; fall break on October 9-12; and the 2020-2021 Wrestling Duals Tournament on January 15 and 16. Montgomery Schools will host.