Madison Reporter

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) has been awarded a Wisconsin Fast Forward Program grant from the state’s Department of Workforce Development.

The grant, valued at approximately $49,000, will fund investments in advanced manufacturing equipment for the district’s career and technical education (CTE) programming. The funds will be used to purchase computer numerical control (CNC) routers, laser cutters, and kits from VEX Robotics. This equipment will provide students with access to tools used by professionals in fields such as robotics, engineering design, and smart manufacturing.

CTE programs offer specialized training in various high-demand fields, often facilitating direct job connections after graduation and serving as a foundation for further collegiate study. In 2023, 640 MMSD students graduated as CTE concentrators—students who earned two or more credits within a single program of study—with a graduation rate of 95%.

“This grant is both an acknowledgment of the importance of CTE programs in secondary education and an investment in the future of manufacturing and engineering in the State of Wisconsin,” said Mitchell Staroscik, MMSD’s director of Personalized Pathways and Career and Technical Education. “Students learn best by doing, and we are thrilled by the potential that this funding will help our students unlock.”

The expansion of MMSD’s CTE offerings was largely facilitated by the passage of the 2020 referenda; East, La Follette, Vel Phillips Memorial, and West high schools have each been upgraded with spaces and equipment supporting teaching and active learning in areas like transportation technology and engineering, woods and construction, hospitality, and health science. Students enrolled in MMSD’s dual-credit program within five CTE programs collectively realize annual tuition savings exceeding $570,000.

“We are grateful for this grant because it provides much-needed support for hands-on learning opportunities for students interested in pursuing pathways to high-demand, high-growth technical careers,” said Superintendent Dr. Joe Gothard.

MMSD is one of 17 school districts that received a Wisconsin Fast Forward grant.