Lewiston School District students will soon be getting the space they need to build everything from tiny houses to small boats.
“I tell our students, ‘If you can imagine it … you can design it and build it and now — put it all together,’” said Lance Hansen, the district’s superintendent.
That’s especially true now that Lewiston’s career-technical education center is expanding, thanks to a $2.4 million grant. It was one of 14 state grants awarded to school districts last week, for a total of more than $18.5 million for career technical programs and facilities.
“It’s exciting to see this money getting to schools so it can do what it’s meant to do: benefit Idaho students in a concrete way,” said Debbie Critchfield, the state superintendent, in a press release. “As more and more Idaho Career Ready Students projects get off the ground, we’re eager to see what this will mean for students, industry partners and communities throughout Idaho.”
The 11-member Idaho Career Ready Students council awarded the grants, which were funded through a $20 million appropriation from the Idaho Legislature during the 2024 session.
Lewiston’s CTE program is popular and growing, with students on the waiting list for the welding program, Hansen said. The CTE program is also bolstered by partnerships with local manufacturers like Clearwater Paper, Vista Outdoor and Idaho Forest Group.
The grant dollars will help “complete the vision” for the district’s CTE programs, he added. “This is the game-changer for our kids.”
The largest grant, for about $3.5 million, went to Lake Pend Oreille School District to expand career technical opportunities for North Idaho students. District leaders have a 10-year plan to build an expansive CTE center in the Sandpoint area that will serve students in the Lake Pend Oreille, West Bonner and Boundary County school districts.
“These programs help students deepen their understanding by partnering with industry and build a more workforce-ready student population,” Becky Meyer, the superintendent for Lake Pend Oreille School District, said in a press release. “Our young people gain so many vital skills through career technical education.”
Here’s the complete list of grantees:
Boundary County School District: Awarded $1,544,340 to expand and upgrade the CTE program at Bonners Ferry High School.
Culdesac Joint School District: Awarded $1,424,860 to make improvements to the CTE facility at Culdesac School.
Highland Joint School District: Awarded $2,252,271 to expand the CTE program and facilities at Highland School.
Horseshoe Bend Joint School District: Awarded $500,000 to modernize and expand the CTE facilities at Horseshoe Bend High School.
Idaho Falls School District: Awarded $45,171 to make upgrades to the existing agricultural science program upgrades at Skyline High School.
Kamiah School District: Awarded $19,000 to make improvements to the existing health occupations pathway equipment at Kamiah High School.
Kuna School District: Awarded $938,750 to improve the agriculture land lab at Kuna High School.
Lake Pend Oreille School District: Awarded $3,532,212 to improve the CTE facility for Bonner and Boundary Counties.
Lewiston Independent School District: Awarded $2,361,310 to improve the A. Neal DeAtley Career Technical Center fabrication and collaboration lab.
Payette River Technical Academy: Awarded $345,710 to upgrade and expand its CTE facility.
Shelley School District: Awarded $178,680 to purchase drone technology for use in an existing agricultural science program at Shelley High School.
Twin Falls School District: Awarded $1,060,880 to expand the welding and agriculture program at Twin Falls High School.
Valley School District: Awarded $3,317,344 to improve the agricultural program facility at Valley Middle-High School.
West Ada School District: Awarded $1,250,000 to expand CTE facilities at Owyhee High School.
The ICRS council will consider reopening the application period for grants in an upcoming meeting. It has awarded more than $62.5 million to help fund 72 proposals.
