The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education has awarded more than $4.61 million in lottery funds.
CareerTech awarded 28 grants worth a total of $2,044,417.22 to 24 technology centers for the 2024-25 school year and 152 grants worth a total of $2,144,847.53 to K-12 school districts for the 2024-25 school year, along with 437 scholarships worth a total of $420,887.52 for the 2023-24 school year.
“Our mission to give students the skills they need to enter the workforce and make informed career choices is bolstered greatly by funds from the Oklahoma Lottery, which benefit instructors and students throughout the CareerTech system,” said CareerTech State Director Brent Haken. “The money is used to invest in classroom and training experiences, including new equipment, technology and instructional resources.”
Technology centers receiving grants will invest in a wide range of equipment, including for programs in truck driver training; heavy equipment operation; health careers; cybersecurity; electric vehicle training; welding; graphic arts; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; culinary arts; multimedia production; and electric utility lineworker technology.
The K-12 districts receiving grants will use them for classroom resources including greenhouse equipment; laptops and other computer equipment; welders; Smart Boards; computer-aided drafting equipment; software; cameras and other photography and video equipment; agricultural education equipment; drones; health careers equipment; construction equipment; commercial kitchen equipment; and child care education equipment.
Oklahoma CareerTech 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.
Oklahoma CareerTech: Education that works for you
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 60 campuses, 397 PK-12 school districts, 16 Skills Centers campuses that include three juvenile facilities and 32 adult education and family literacy 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.
