By Mary O’KEEFE

The Glendale Unified School District recently was awarded a Strong Workforce Program grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office totaling $1.75 million. The grant is designed for K-12 grades and is to help districts create, improve and expand career and technical education programs. It will create a program that will give early college credits to high school students, said Narineh Makijan, GUSD coordinator, college and career division, career and technical education. Students will be dual enrolled with Glendale Community College.

GUSD’s College and Career Division was awarded funding to develop innovative online college and career academies for students grade seven to 12, in partnership with Glendale Community College, according to GUSD.

Makijan added the District has already been working virtually due to COVID-19 and has learned much during that time.

“There are some students who want to stay online; maybe this [program] would be a good fit,” she added.

Some students have trouble with in-person learning, and others have to earn money to help their families.

“It’s a great opportunity for [students] who may have a job or are struggling with issues where they cannot be in a large group setting of students,” Makijan said. “It is wonderful to be able to give another opportunity to those students.”

The program would still require students meet the curriculum criteria with teacher supervision. Makijan said that some students would participate from home and a place on school campus would be offered for those students who do not have the technology or a quiet place in their residence.

“The program will focus on providing innovative pathways for all students with a specific goal of providing underserved students, including English learners, at-risk youth and homeless/foster youth, with access to college coursework online as part of their high school curriculum,” according to a GUSD statement.

District administrators are exploring all the aspects of this grant including how students can continue to be part of sports’ programs if they want to and how site administrators will work with the program.

“We are still in the planning phases,” Makijan said.

GUSD was notified in November 2020 about the grant award and hope to have the program set for fall 2021. It is reaching out to parents and students for input concerning the program.