District secures $236,177 grant to expand its welding program

What happened

Benzie County Central Schools secured a three-year career and technical education grant to grow its welding program and transition it toward a fully certified CTE course. The grant can fund salaries, equipment, protective gear, supplies, professional development and curriculum, but not building infrastructure.

Why it matters to families

The grant supports a substantial expansion of career-training instruction and equipment, while the district expects to take on a larger share of the cost as grant support steps down.

The evidence

The October 12 minutes’ Finance Committee report says the district received a three-year $236,177 CTE expansion grant for welding. It says the grant may pay for salaries, equipment, PPE, consumables, professional development and curriculum, cannot pay for infrastructure, and is a step-down grant with less grant support and more district support in later years.

The source