The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education has awarded more than $4.14 million in lottery funds.
CareerTech awarded 23 grants worth a total of $1,887,557.75 to 22 technology centers for the 2025-26 school year and 134 grants worth a total of $1,878,996.98 to K-12 school districts for the 2025-26 school year, along with 400 scholarships worth a total of $375,512.42 for the 2024-25 school year.
“These lottery-funded grants and scholarships are a powerful investment in Oklahoma’s future,” said Brent Haken, Oklahoma CareerTech state director. “By helping schools and tech centers update equipment and enhance learning opportunities, we’re ensuring students across the state have access to high-quality, hands-on training that prepares them for success in the workforce. This is one more way CareerTech is building a skilled talent pipeline for Oklahoma.”
Technology centers receiving grants will invest in a wide range of equipment, including for programs in culinary arts, firefighter training, HVAC, health, welding, construction, law enforcement training, automotive service and machining.
The K-12 districts receiving grants will use them for classroom resources including laptops, 3D printers, software and other computer equipment; landscaping, greenhouse and other agricultural education equipment; welding equipment; video production equipment; virtual reality systems and software; culinary arts equipment; textile arts equipment; health careers education equipment; and robotics.
Oklahoma CareerTech receives 5.5% 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. Ten percent of the money is used for scholarships, and 45% each goes to K-12 grants and tech center grants.
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.
Tech centers and K-12 schools are eligible to receive grants only every other year; applicants who do not receive a grant can reapply the next year, but recipients must sit out a year before applying again, said Cori Gray, Oklahoma CareerTech director of student success.
Oklahoma CareerTech: Oklahoma’s Workforce Leader
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 63 campuses, 395 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.
