The Effingham County Board of Education approved a request for approximately $1.2 million for career, technical and agricultural education programs in the system.

Assistant Superintendent Gregg Arnsdorff told board members that part of CTAE coordinator Evonne Mobley’s responsibilities include developing budget requests for the system to the state Department of Education.

The youth apprenticeship program is covered by a grant, and that funding request will help as the system works to have its CTAE programs industry certified.

“The board many years ago decided that our programs should seek industry certification, and to do that requires renewal every number of years, and so we request funds from the state that help support upgrades to those programs,” Arnsdorff said. “This year both construction programs at the high schools will be undergoing industry certification plans.”

He said the funds also help to pay for extended day for teachers. It also supports teachers working with clubs and organizations, such as an agriculture teacher who is an FFA advisor. It also covers extended year for work-based learning coordinators.

Arnsdorff said there is a person at each high school who works solely with students in work-based learning programs. 

Extended year also helps to pay for advisors who have summer work and professional development they must complete during the summer months.

“The education and career partnership is working with developing our pathways, which is the series of courses that the students take to graduate from school with a specialty in a career area,” he said. “We’re working with Savannah Technical College in that regard, and the state will help fund our work there.

“Our professional development is of course key to improving teacher quality, and we receive some small amount of funds for that,” he said.

Arnsdorff said a large portion of the grant comes from federal funds including a Perkins Grant, a work-based learning grant and other grants.

“We are lucky to be able to request that amount of assistance to relieve the burden on the taxpayers in our district to fund high quality programs to better prepare our students for the course of life that is ahead,” he said.