Norco College Receives $12.8 Million Career Pathways Trust Grant
5/28/2015
RCCD RECEIVES LARGEST COMPETITIVE GRANT SUPPORTING HIGH SCHOOL CTE PROGRAMS
California Department of Education Awards Norco College $12.8 million Career Pathways
Trust Grant
Riverside Community College District was awarded $12,860,892, the single largest competitive
grant in the District’s history by the California Department of Education. The grant
will fund the Career Readiness through Education and Strategic Training (CREST) program
at Norco College. The funds will deliver 18 new Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways.
The grant application includes $59,017,762 in matching funds from consortium members
in western Riverside County.Project CREST is a collaborative grant with a regional consortium comprised of 121
people from 11 unified school districts, 28 high schools, one middle school, two community
college districts, four community colleges, the Riverside County Office of Education,
County CTE/ROP division, Riverside County Workforce Investment Board, three adult
and alternative learning centers, one virtual high school, and 70 industry/community
partners. The monies will fund CTE pathways across three vitally important industry
sectors: information and communication technologies, manufacturing and product development/advanced
manufacturing, and health science and medical technology.
“We are excited and humbled to hear about the award of the largest grant ever given
to the Riverside Community College District and 11 school districts, colleges, businesses
and community partners,” exclaimed Paul Parnell, president at Norco College.
In all, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson awarded $244 million
in grants to 40 programs that blend academic and career technical education, connect
employers with schools and train students for jobs in high-demand fields.
The grants are provided through the California Career Pathways Trust (CCPT) program,
which is the largest program of its kind in the nation. The program has provided nearly
$500 million in career tech grants over two years.
“My top priority is to better prepare California students for college and careers
in the 21 century,” Torlakson said. “Career Pathways provides vital support for innovative
and effective career tech programs that keep students engaged in school and prepare
them for real-world jobs.”
Through project CREST, the three RCCD colleges will strengthen pathways from local
high schools, increase articulation agreements, upgrade instructional equipment in
targeted CTE program areas, and offer increased work based learning and internship
opportunities to students.
Kevin Fleming, dean of instruction, career and technical education at Norco College
led the development of the consortium. “We commend Fleming for his key leadership
in bringing the partners together to compete for these dollars that will change education
opportunities for over 16,000 students in our region,” stated Parnell.