Secretary of Education Ron Tomalis has announced that 31 grants, totaling $1.64 million, have been awarded to 25 career and technical education programs through the Career and Technical Education Equipment Grant program.

Through a competitive grant process, the Department of Education administers the Equipment Grant program to provide funding for the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment to better prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.

This grant program provides funding that must be matched dollar-for-dollar by the school for the purchase of equipment that meets industry standards, which will be used to train students in approved career and technical education programs in Pennsylvania’s high-priority jobs.

The department received 63 applications from school districts and career and technical centers requesting more than $2.94 million in grants. Each application was reviewed and scored based on the program’s plan to integrate the new equipment into its curriculum and a professional development plan to ensure instructors know how to use the new equipment.

Below is the list of schools that have been awarded a grant, the county and the amount of the grant.

AW Beattie Career Center, Allegheny County, $43,953
Bedford County Technical Center, Bedford County, $10,000
Berks Career and Technology Center #2, Berks County, $50,000
Berks Career and Technology Center #3, Berks County, $50,000
Bucks County Technical High School #2, Bucks County, $50,000
Central PA Institute of Science and Technology, Centre County, $50,000
Delaware County Technical High School #2, Delaware County, $48,584
Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center, Westmoreland County, $34,112
Fayette County Career and Technical Institute, Fayette County, $41,182
Greater Altoona Career and Technical Center #1, Blair County, $46,375
Greater Altoona Career and Technical Center #2, Blair County, $37,240
Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center, Cambria County, $3,920
Jersey Shore Area School District, Lycoming County, $5,625
Lancaster County Career and Technology Center #2, Lancaster County, $50,000
Lancaster County Career and Technology Center #3, Lancaster County, $50,000
Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, Lehigh County, $200,000
Lenape Technical School, Armstrong County, $50,000
Middle Bucks Institute of Technology #1, Bucks County, $50,000
Middle Bucks Institute of Technology #2, Bucks County, $50,000
Monroe Career and Technical Institute, Monroe County, $32,728
North Montco Technical Career Center #1, Montgomery County, $50,000
North Montco Technical Career Center #2, Montgomery County, $49,500
Northern Tier Career Center, Bradford County, $32,000
Philadelphia City School District, Philadelphia County, $250,000
Reading Muhlenberg Career and Technology Center, Berks County, $100,000
Schuylkill Technology Centers, Schuylkill County, $28,193
SUN Area Technical Institute, Union County, $23,878
Upper Bucks County Technical School, Bucks County, $50,000
Upper Dauphin Area School District, Dauphin County, $12,000
York County School of Technology #2, $50,000
York County School of Technology #3, $50,000

Source: PDE Press Release, http://www.education.state.pa.us, Jan. 15, 2013.