Indiana Department of Education Accepting Applications for New Skills-Based Grant

Grant to Foster Innovation in the Development of Students’ Employability Skills

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) announced that applications are open for the Indiana Employability Skills Innovation and Implementation Grant. This grant is available for Indiana schools seeking support in integrating Indiana Employability Skills into their curriculum.

“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,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “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.”

By integrating curriculum supporting Indiana Employability Skills into classrooms across the state, students will gain skills that they will use throughout their lives and that will help them become career ready. These skills are 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 will also 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. Interested applicants can submit their online application here. Applications are due on Friday, May 27.