Floyd County Schools College and Career Academy has been awarded a $3.2 million grant that will allow the school to offer an advanced robotics program to area students.  The College and Career Academy charter school is being developed as a community partnership between Floyd County Schools, Coosa Valley Technical College and the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce.  Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle announced the $3.2 million grant at a press conference held at the state capitol in Atlanta on Tuesday.    

Floyd County Schools will use the grant money, coupled with other in-kind donations and contributions, to build a 16,000 square foot building on the campus of the current Floyd County Technical High School.  The new addition will house the automated manufacturing and industrial systems robotics labs and classrooms for the new charter school. The school will become known as the Floyd County Schools College and Career Academy when it opens to students in the fall of 2008. 

Today we are delivering on our promise to Georgia’s students to provide a new and innovative approach to education,” said Lt. Governor Casey Cagle when announcing the grants. “The partnerships of Career Academies, Technical Colleges, and area businesses provide an unbelievable launching pad for Georgia students and their future careers. This would not have been possible without the support of Governor Perdue and the state legislature.  We all have great expectations for these new Career Academies and the Georgia students who will graduate prepared and trained for the workforce.” 

The local Floyd County partnership is developing a program that will help provide students with a seamless transition between high school and college.  Involvement from the school system, Coosa Valley Technical College and local business and industry is making this plan a reality.  The Floyd County Schools College and Career Academy, through an online needs assessment, is identifying the needs of employers in the community and will match the course work being offered at the school to areas of need identified by businesses in the assessment.   Businesses have found that partnering with the career academies in this way provides a uniquely relevant and prepared workforce.   Participation by technical colleges with career academies ensures that students can make a seamless transition from high school to college programs.  As a result of this community partnership, high school students will be exposed to the requirements of college coursework and the expectations of business and industry.

According to Ron Jackson, Interim Commissioner for The Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education, there were 19 applicants vying for the $16 million in grant funds available to create career academies in the state of Georgia.   The Effingham, Floyd, Fulton and Glynn county school systems received grants of $3.2 million each, while Thomas County Schools received $2.7 million and Walton County received $500,000 to expand an existing academy.  

Pictured L-R: Al Hodge, Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce; Bo Bragg, Floyd County Schools; Katie Dempsey, State Representative; Craig McDaniel, Coosa Valley Technical College; Lynn Plunkett, Floyd County Schools; Kelly Henson, Floyd County Schools; Carol Dugger, Coosa Valley Technical College; Casey Cagle, Lieutenant Governor; Sherry Childs, Floyd County Schools; Pete McDonald, Coosa Valley Technical College; Preston Smith, State Senator; Russ Moore, Charter School Consultant; Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools.