The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education has awarded more than $4.5 million in lottery funds.
CareerTech awarded $2,064,816 in 26 grants to 22 technology centers for the 2022-23 school year and $2,056,516 in grants to K-12 school districts for the 2022-23 school year, along with 388 scholarships worth a total of $400,150 for the 2021-22 school year.
“These funds from the Oklahoma Lottery will benefit instructors and students throughout the CareerTech system and help us fulfill our mission to give students the skills they need to enter the workforce and make informed career choices,” said Lee Denney, CareerTech’s interim state director. “Through the competitive grant process, there is a direct investment in classroom and training experiences, including new equipment, technology and enhanced instructional resources.”
Technology centers receiving grants will invest in a wide range of equipment, including for firefighter/EMT programs, health simulation labs, radiography classrooms, basic peace officer programs, greenhouses and forensic labs.
Other technology center equipment includes Anatomage convertible tables for health careers students, drones and aviation equipment to start a new program, digital cinema technology enhancements and equipment to add electric vehicles to the automotive services curriculum.
The K-12 districts receiving grants will use them for classroom resources including welders; laptops; lights, cameras and other photography and video equipment; 3D printers and software; commercial kitchen equipment; drone aviation equipment; flight simulators; CNC machines; and laser engravers.
ODCTE receives about 5 percent of the Oklahoma Education Lottery Trust Fund, which it uses to help CareerTech programs upgrade equipment and to provide scholarships to educators to continue their own education to fulfill CareerTech teacher certification and credential requirements.
Oklahoma CareerTech starts each year’s grant process only after it receives the lottery funds. CareerTech sixth through 12th grade programs and technology centers submit grant proposals that include their plans for using the funds to innovate and positively affect students.
About Oklahoma CareerTech
The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources and assures standards of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career and technology education. The system offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 59 campuses, 394 PK-12 school districts, 15 Skills Centers campuses that include three juvenile facilities and 31 adult basic education service providers.
The agency is governed by the State Board of Career and Technology Education and works closely with the State Department of Education and the State Regents for Higher Education to provide a seamless educational system for all Oklahomans.
