Technical centers in five nearby communities are among those receiving $400,000 to further support the important work that these programs do to ensure all Missouri students are prepared for success upon graduation and further contribute to developing Missouri’s workforce, said Gov. Mike Parson on Tuesday.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) awarded several Missouri Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs with grant dollars.
Each receiving $400,000 is the Waynesville Career Center; South Central Career Center, West Plains; Rolla Technical Center/Rolla Technical Institute; Ozark Mountain Technical Center, Mountain Grove; and Lebanon Technology and Career Center.
“Career and technical education is critical to our workforce development goals here in the State of Missouri,” Governor Parson said. “Every day the necessity for a post-secondary degree, trade, or industry recognized credential is growing for good-paying jobs across the state, and we want to support Missourians as they seek to learn new skills, especially in our career and technical education programs.”
Missouri’s Area Career Center Opportunity (MACCO) Grant provides funding to enhance the state’s CTE capacity by providing more opportunities for CTE students while updating and modernizing career centers’ infrastructure and equipment.
MACCO is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (APRA) and was included in Parson’s fiscal year 2023 budget proposal to the Missouri General Assembly. MACCO grants local education agencies (LEAs) up to $400,000 for the following purposes:
•Create new high-demand and emerging programs
•Construct a new area career center building
•Renovate or build an addition to an existing area career center
•Update or expand current CTE programs
•Improve infrastructure for safety and equipment needs
•Upgrade equipment and instructional technology
The grant’s funds must be used to enhance or extend area career centers’ capacities to increase students’ knowledge and skills needed to gain employment in current or emerging fields, continue their education, or re-train for new business and industry opportunities. The grant required LEAs to submit an application and match 25 percent of the awarded MACCO funds.