JOHNSON COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) – Officials with Johnson County Schools announced that they will receive a $10 million grant from the School Facilities Construction Commission to build a new Career & Technical Education Center.
This grant was provided through House Bill 556, which allocated $75 million for the renovation or construction of locally operated Career and Technical Centers with a maximum award of $10 million.
Johnson County was one of 32 districts to apply and one of only six that received the maximum funding throughout the Commonwealth.
“Johnson Central has been the gold standard for over a decade in offering the most pathways for students of any single school in the eastern half of Kentucky including Lexington and Louisville,” said Noel Crum, Assistant Superintendent and CTE Coordinator for Johnson County Schools. “This grant will allow us to realize our dream of having the best facilities to complement and match the outstanding programs and opportunities we currently offer our students.”
The SFCC grant of $10 million will be combined with the bonding available to the district to construct a new Johnson Central High School and CTE Center. The current high school will then become the new middle school, which will allow those students access to the older CTE equipment.
”This grant is the icing on the cake to combine with the strong support from our community and board of education, to take the necessary steps for realizing this dream,” said Johnson County Superintendent Thom Cochran.
This grant now sets a rapid timeline for completing a building plan, as it must be approved with bids in place by September 1st, 2022.
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