Nearly $1.4 million has been appropriated to over two dozen high schools and districts throughout the state to promote career and technical education in Mississippi.
According to Accelerate Mississippi, the state has allocated approximately $1,393,000 to 25 schools, with the funds aiming to empower students by aligning their education with their future careers or post-secondary education programs.
The EquipMS Grant program, established through House Bill 588 (2023) as the Mississippi K-12 Workforce Development Grant program, was created for Mississippi public school districts to modernize, replace, or enhance priority sector career and technical high school programs.
Funding for these programs was targeted at manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, economic development priorities, and construction and agriculture, aligning closely with the local industry’s demands.
“Successful career preparation doesn’t begin after a student receives a high school diploma,” Courtney Taylor, AccelerateMS Deputy Director for Strategy and Programs, explained. “Our state’s leadership is showing a strong commitment to strengthening our workforce development at all levels and this investment opens doors for students to acquire skills earlier and in more meaningful ways tied to local job opportunities.”
Through this program, the following high schools and districts will be able to expand career and technical opportunities:
- Noxubee County Career & Technical Education: $150,000 (Engineering I & II)
- Winston-Louisville Career & Technical Center: $126,352 (Industrial Maintenance)
- Warren Central High School: $123,094 (Engineering)
- Senatobia Tate County Career & Technical Center: $115,866 (Health Science)
- Lowndes County School District Career Technology Center: $75,731 (Construction)
- Lamar County Center for Technical Education: $70,527 (Metal Fabrication)
- Carroll County School District: $69,700 (Welding)
- Neshoba County School District: $68,703 (Engineering and Robotics)
- Itawamba Career & Technical Center: $60,416 (Construction)
- Lawrence Technology & Career Center: $57,100 (Agriculture)
- Lee County CTE Center: $54,480 (Advanced Manufacturing I & II)
- Holmes County Career & Technical Center: $45,129 (Industrial Maintenance)
- Alcorn Career & Technology Center: $45,000 (Health Science)
- North Panola Career & Technical Center: $42,048 (Information Technology)
- Biloxi High School Career Technology Center: $41,581 (Welding)
- Hancock County Career Technical Center: $41,000 (Precision Machining)
- John C. Stennis CTE: $35,336 (Construction/Carpentry)
- Franklin County Career & Technical School: $31,499 (Construction and Carpentry)
- Florence High School: $29,998 (Health Science)
- Bogue Chitto School: $24,000 (Diversified Agriculture)
- Oxford School District: $20,968 (Engineering)
- Covington County CTE: $19,836 (Health Science)
- Leland Career & Technical Center: $19,223 (Metal Fabrication)
- Kosciusko-Attala Career Tech Center: $16,499 (Construction Technology)
- West Tallahatchie High School: $9,750 (Construction/Carpentry)
