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Nashville, TNToday, the Tennessee Department of Educationannouncednearly $7millionin grantshas been awarded to Tennessee to strengthen computer science pathways and STEMeducationand helpmorestudentsbeprepared for successafter high school.Withlocal, state, andnational partners,Tennesseehas been awarded the Education Innovation and Research (EIR)earlyphasegrant for$4,000,000 andwas one of only four states to be awarded theOut-of-School Time Career Pathway Programgrant for$2,900,000.

Thanks to longstanding partnerships with local and national partners, Tennessee is receiving nearly $7 million dollars tostrengthenhigh school achievement, boost postsecondary enrollment and directly benefitTennesseehigh school students,said Commissioner Penny Schwinn.These grants will help ensure students are given additional opportunities to earn credit and build critical skills before leaving high school, which we know is essential for the success of our students and our state.

The EIR Early Phase Grant will supporta newinitiative,the TennesseeSySTEMforCollege and Career ReadinessProject,that will leverage innovative industry-postsecondary partnerships to expand STEM and computer science strategies, including embedded work-based learningopportunities,in 20 high schools across Tennessee.By partnering with regional postsecondary institutions and employers,students will beable to simultaneously earn early postsecondary (EPSO) credit and gain workplace skills that prepare them to enter and succeed incareers inSTEM and computer science.

The TennesseeSySTEMfor College and Career Readiness Projectis developed in partnership withJFF (Jobs for the Future) and the American Institute for Research (AIR), andparticipating schools will be selected through a competitive grant processthat the department will launch thissummer.

"JFF is excited to deepen our long-time partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education through the new TennesseeSySTEMfor College and Career ReadinessProject,said Joel Vargas, Vice PresidentatJFF.It is a privilege to support the state in building on its tradition of innovation by expanding work-based courses in STEM and computer science that improve college and career outcomes for high schoolers."

TheOut-of-School Time Career Pathway Programs grantwill launchtheTennessee Expansion of Computer Science Career (TEC) Pathways Project,which is aligned with Governor Bill Lees Future Workforce Initiative and willexpandcomputer science andSTEM pathways in rural communities across the state.

Led by the department in partnership with the Greater Nashville Technology Council (NTC),the newTECPathways Projectwillbringtogetherfiveruralschool districtsandpostsecondary and industry partners tohelp improve the outcomes of rural and high-need students andpromote the growth of computer science pathways in ruralcommunitiesthrough virtual expanded learning opportunities and out-of-school programs.

Tennessee districts were eligibleto apply toparticipateinthe TEC Pathways Project if theymet two criteria of the federal grant:be inaruralcommunityandofferout-of-school programs through the 21stCentury Learning Center federal program.The five districtsthat willparticipatein the TEC Pathways Project areWhite County Schools, Hamblen County Schools, Gibson County Special School District,CockeCounty Schools and Trenton Special School District.

Through the Tennessee Expansion of Computer Science Career Pathways Project, the Greater Nashville Technology Council is grateful to continue the long-standing relationship with the Tennessee Department of Education to expand STEM pathways in rural communities across the state,said Sandi Hoff, Chief of Staff, Greater Nashville Technology Council.The NTC looks forward to coordinating work-based learning experiences, to connect rural students with local tech professionals in our community, so students may explore and train for IT careers and pursue postsecondary education in the tech industry.

Foradditionalinformationabout Tennessees CareerandTechnical Education initiatives and programs,including Tennessee Pathways,clickhere.For Tennessee Department of Education media inquiries, contactEdu.MediaInquiries@tn.gov.

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Tennessee Awarded Nearly $7M in Grants for Computer Science Pathways and STEM Education - tn.gov