The U.S. Education Department is accepting proposals for its Rural Tech Project, a competition to advance high-quality technology instruction in rural communities.
ED’s June 30 announcement states that rural high schools and local educational agencies interested in entering the challenge should submit an online proposal for a competency-based program by October 8, 2020. The proposal should include the program’s delivery model, curriculum topics and intended collaboration with local employers and other partners.
As many as five finalists will receive an equal share of $500,000 initially. Finalists must develop detailed program plans and build partnerships between January 2021 and June 2021 before their programs launch. A community engagement manager will help with setup, implementation and evaluation.
A judging panel will recommend a winner to receive an additional $100,000 in the summer of 2023. More information and resources are at ruraltechproject.com.
Johnny Jackson covers homeless and at-risk students and other Title I issues for LRP Publications, publisher of DA.
