U.S. Schools Expand Green CTE Programs
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- Greenville County School District built the Innovation Center in 2023, offering five CTE programs and enrolling about 25 high school students in the clean energy technology track.
- Students at the Innovation Center built a piezoelectric plate that lights up and generates electricity when stepped on, proposing its installation in downtown Greenville pedestrian areas.
- Denise Purnell‑Cuff highlighted that “Every job is a green job” as Delaware plans to embed environmental lessons into all middle and high school CTE courses.
- Biden administration provided federal funding for climate‑friendly CTE initiatives through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was largely rescinded by the Trump administration.
- Chicago Teachers Union secured clean‑energy career pathways in its contract with the Chicago school district, while DC Public Schools added sustainability lessons such as hydroponic gardening to its agriculture program.
- Advance CTE reports that the trend of adding sustainability to CTE programs continues, especially after infrastructure investments from the previous administration.
Why it matters: Students gain marketable green‑skill credentials and local employers benefit from a workforce versed in renewable technologies, while districts scramble for alternative funding after the Trump administration cut much of the climate‑education money originally provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
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