Mississippi has allocated approximately $1.4 million to career and technical education efforts at 25 high schools and districts across the state — including in Bogue Chitto Attendance Center, and in Lawrence and Franklin counties.

The effort aims to empower students by aligning their education with their future careers or post-secondary education programs.

Bogue Chitto Attendance Center will receive $24,000 for use in its diversified agriculture program.

“We are thrilled and humbled to be awarded an EquipMS grant through Accelerate MS in the amount of $24,000,” said Robin Case, Lincoln County School District’s Federal Programs Director. “This grant award is to purchase a plasma cutting table with operating system for Bogue Chitto. This is going to be an integral component to the new shop/classroom complex being constructed at Bogue Chitto, thus ensuring students have up-to-date equipment to continue and advance vital skills for the current and future workforce needs.”

The agriculture program at Lawrence Technology & Career Center will receive $57,100. Franklin County Career & Technical Center will receive $31,499 for its construction anc carpentry program.

The EquipMS Grant program, established through House Bill 588 (2023) as the Mississippi K-12 Workforce Development Grant program, aims to provide funding for Mississippi public school districts to modernize, replace, or otherwise 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,” said Courtney Taylor, AccelerateMS Deputy Director for Strategy and Programs. “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.”

The remainder of the funds — a total of $1,393,841.36 — was dispersed to construction, carpentry, agriculture, engineering, industrial maintenance, welding, health science, information technology, manufacturing, metal fabrication, precision machining, and robotics programs at schools in the following counties: Alcorn, Attala, Carroll, Covington, Hancock, Harrison, Holmes, Itawamba, Kemper, Lafayette, Lamar, Lee, Lowndes, Neshoba, Noxubee, Panola, Rankin, Tate, Tallahatchie, Washington, Warren, and Winston.

AccelerateMS serves the people and businesses of Mississippi by developing and deploying workforce strategies to connect individuals with transformative, high-paying careers. By leveraging resources and partnering with organizations that hold complementary missions, AccelerateMS effectuates positive change, creating sustained individual, community, and, statewide economic prosperity.