Applications are open for the Indiana Employability Skills Innovation and Implementation Grant. The Indiana Department of Education grant is available for Indiana schools seeking support in integrating Indiana Employability Skills into their curriculum. By integrating curriculum supporting Indiana Employability Skills into classrooms across the state, the department hopes students will gain lifelong skills that will prepare them for a career – skills directly aligned with the Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed (Indiana GPS) school performance dashboard initiative. Successful grant proposals will detail how students will showcase proficiency in Indiana Employability Skills and incorporate exploration, engagement, and experience opportunities while also emphasizing the importance of high-quality partnerships. Successful grant proposals also will include a strategic plan to evaluate program implementation and report data on student outcomes. A total of $7 million is available through this grant to support the integration of Indiana’s Employability Skills in schools. This funding is allocated as part of the state’s federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief II plan. Applications are due on Friday, May 27. “In this ever-changing global economy, we must better understand how our K-12 education can ensure our students are developing the skills they need for success after high school,” Secretary of Education Katie Jenner explains. “We have methods to measure knowledge in subjects like math and literacy, but we must also develop methods to measure skill sets like communication, collaboration and work ethic. By collaborating with educators, community leaders and business partners, IDOE will explore how to measure student progress on the skills that matter most.”
