(BOISE, ID) – The Idaho Career Ready Students (ICRS) council met this week to reconsider 17 proposals that were recommended for funding by the council previously, but were not awarded due to a lack of program funds. These new grant approvals were made possible through an additional $20 million appropriation from the Idaho Legislature made during the 2024 session.
ICRS grants are designed to reduce reliance on federal funds for Career Technical Education (CTE) programming. To date, the council has awarded over $62.5 million to help fund 72 total proposals. ICRS funding determinations are made by an 11-member council that considers factors such as partnership with local industry, sustainability of the proposed program and responsiveness to community and statewide workforce needs.
The following grants were awarded for capital projects at Tuesday’s meeting, with over $18.5 million in total funding distributed:
- Boundary County School District was awarded $1,544,340 to expand and upgrade the CTE program at Bonners Ferry High School.
- Culdesac Joint School District was awarded $1,424,860 to make improvements to the CTE facility at Culdesac School.
- Highland Joint School District was awarded $2,252,271 to expand the CTE program and facilities at Highland School.
- Horseshoe Bend Joint School District was awarded $500,000 to modernize and expand the CTE facilities at Horseshoe Bend High School.
- Kuna School District was awarded $938,750 to improve the agriculture land lab at Kuna High School.
- Lake Pend Oreille School District was awarded $3,532,212 to improve the CTE facility for Bonner and Boundary Counties.
- Lewiston Independent School District was awarded $2,361,310 to improve the A. Neal DeAtley Career Technical Center fabrication and collaboration lab.
- Payette River Technical Academy was awarded $345,710 to upgrade and expand its CTE facility.
- Twin Falls School District was awarded $1,060,880 to expand the welding and agriculture program at Twin Falls High School.
- Valley School District was awarded $3,317,344 to improve the agricultural program facility at Valley Middle-High School.
- West Ada School District was awarded $1,250,000 to expand CTE facilities at Owyhee High School.
The following grants were awarded for existing programs with over $64,000 in total funding distributed:
- Idaho Falls School District was awarded $45,171 to make upgrades to the existing agricultural science program upgrades at Skyline High School.
- Kamiah School District was awarded $19,000 to make improvements to the existing health occupations pathway equipment at Kamiah High School.
- Shelley School District was awarded $178,680 to purchase drone technology for use in an existing agricultural science program at Shelley High School.
“It’s exciting to see this money getting to schools so it can do what it’s meant to do: benefit Idaho students in a concrete way,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield. “As more and more Idaho Career Ready Students projects get off the ground, we’re eager to see what this will mean for students, industry partners and communities throughout Idaho.”
The council will consider reopening the application period in an upcoming meeting.