CTE Funding

Duval County Public Schools urges the Florida Legislature to include CAPE Digital Tool certifications in the middle school grading formula as acceleration points, fostering essential technology skills and advancing workforce readiness statewide. Additionally, the district seeks $850,000 in direct funding to launch a foundational CTE program for elementary students, providing early career exposure and hands-on experience in high-demand industries to build a skilled local talent pipeline, especially for disadvantaged students.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2021) projects that the fastest growing occupations for the next decade are in STEM and CTE fields, such as information technology, healthcare, and construction.

According to a landscape analysis conducted in 2022 by JPEF, more than 55% of DCPS’ programming related to STEM and CTE are focused on high school aged students. However, research suggests that early career exposure is essential for developing foundational interests and skills to later success in the workforce (Howland, Castine, & Flanagan, 2017).