JUMP STARTING JUMP START GRANTS ANNOUNCED

Round Two of Grant Program to Increase Internships and Career Counseling for Jump Start Students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 10/13/14
Contact: LDOE Public Affairs, (225) 342-3600, Fax: (225) 342-0193

JUMP STARTING JUMP START GRANTS ANNOUNCED

Round Two of Grant Program to Increase Internships and Career Counseling for Jump Start Students

BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Department of Education today announced recommended award winners for round two of the state’s Jump Starting Jump Start grants. State Superintendent John White made the announcement at Central Middle School in Gonzales, during his statewideLouisiana Believes tour.The Department is recommending to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) eight grant awards to seven Jump Start Regional Teams from across the state totaling $645,000. These grants will help expand career counseling activities with a focus of engaging students in college and career planning earlier in middle and high school. These grants will also create a statewide network of regional workplace experience exchanges (e.g., coordinators that will maximize the number of guest speakers, day-on-the-job opportunities, job fairs and internships for students, and externships for teachers).

“These grants will provide thousands of students an understanding of opportunities they have after high school,” said State Superintendent John White. “Every child has a different ambition. Some may want to be welders and others doctors.  Some will continue on to a university after graduation, others to community and technical colleges, and many will pursue both career and future education in the years after high school graduation.  Jump Start engages students and helps them make informed decisions on their career path.”

Jump Start is the state’s new initiative to provide students with basic and advanced career credentials that allow students to continue their education after high school. To achieve the Jump Start credential, students complete graduation pathways of courses and workplace-based experiences developed by Jump Start regional teams made up of industry, colleges, and school districts.

Jump Starting Jump Start grants are funded from the state’s 8(g) fund. BESE is expected to approve the grant awards during its October 14, 2014 meeting. Jump Start Regional Team and sub-teams will use the round 2 funding for one of the following two goals:

  • Increase career counseling capacity: Career counseling enables an engaged adult to interact with high school students to help them understand their college and career options.  This round of Jump Starting Jump Start grants will help thousands of additional Louisiana students receive guidance from an engaged adult on how they can attain employment in one of Louisiana’s high-growth job sectors, while also determining what type of traditional or non-traditional college and career training pathways might work best for them. Grants will also help fund training and professional development for school counselors and teachers.
  • Develop regional portfolios of workplace experiences for students: Historically students in different school districts have not had equal access to the types of authentic workplace experiences (e.g., guest speakers, job location visits, internships, apprenticeships, etc.) that help students learn about career paths they might pursue.  Jump Starting Jump Start grants will make it possible for thousands of Louisiana students to learn more about careers and life opportunities based on the input and guidance of industry experts, both experienced industry leaders and “near peer” recent graduates who have attained employment in high-growth job sectors.

Below is the list of recipients for round 2 of the Jump Starting Jump Start grants:

Jump Start Regional Team/Sub-Team

Grant Fiscal Agent

Focus of Grant Application

Bayou

Lafourche Parish School Board

Utilizing the existing Bayou network of engaged stakeholders to expand this region’s historic workplace experience exchange, documenting best practices for statewide replication that include: a) comprehensive implementation materials; and b) results tracking.
Central Louisiana

Rapides Parish School Board

Creating a regional workplace experience exchange that will focus on creating opportunities for middle and high school student engagement while building expanded teacher experience/instructional capacity.
Central Capital Region

Ascension Parish School Board

Funding an expansion of career counseling activities to middle school students, utilizing both external resources and internally-directed part-time career counselors.
Gulf River Parish

Jefferson Parish Public School System

Funding an expansion of career counseling activities to early-high school students, with an emphasis on transitional 9th grade students.
North Capital Region

West Feliciana Parish Schools

Funding the implementation of career counseling using multiple modalities corresponding to the capabilities and needs of participating districts.
Northeast Delta

West Carroll Public Schools

Funding a regional workplace experience exchange focused on teacher externships that will build teacher experience/instructional capacity.
Northwest Louisiana

Caddo Parish School Board

Utilizing the existing Northwest Louisiana network of engaged stakeholders to create a regional workplace experience exchange with innovative features like: a) video libraries of guest speakers from high-wage job sectors; b) a network of near-peer mentors; and c) “best practices” guidelines for job shadowing and student internships.
Southwest Louisiana

Calcasieu Parish School Board

Utilizing the existing Southwest Louisiana network of engaged stakeholders to create a regional workplace experience exchange with innovative features like: a) school-business partnerships; b) high school and middle school job fair best practices; and c) parent and community outreach best practices.

A final round of Jump Starting Jump Start grants is underway for the remaining $200,000 in available 8(g) funding. Applications must be received by November 3, 2014. Recommendations for round three will be submitted to BESE in December.