The Marshalltown Community School District was among the Teacher and Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship Pilot Program Grant awardees announced by Governor Kim Reynolds on Thursday.

The grant program will provide opportunities for current high school students and adults to earn a Paraeducator Certificate and Associate’s Degree, and for paraeducators to earn their Bachelor’s Degree, all while learning and working in the classroom.  The program will begin this fall during the 2022-2023 school year.

As one of 19 applicant school  district/consortiums included in the program, MCSD was awarded a grant worth more than one-point-two million dollars in partnership with the Grinnell, BCLUW, South Hardin, West Marshall, East Marshall, Iowa Falls, Montezuma, and GMG School Districts.  Additionally, MCSD was among the 30 partnering rural school advocates of Iowa included in a more than six-million dollar grant award via the Cherokee Community School District.

In total, the Teacher and Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship Pilot Program is awarding $45.6 million to more than 130 school districts statewide with the funding being made available through the American Rescue Plan Act.