PITTSFIELD — A regional educational research group and nearly a dozen Berkshire County school districts recently received a hefty grant that will strengthen funding for existing programs and post-secondary preparedness.
Berkshire Educational Resources K12 (BERK12) and 11 Berkshire County school districts were awarded a Rural Innovation and Efficiencies Grant of $300,000 from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). These funds will be used for a coordinated project that officials hope will improve education program quality and strengthen student career and college readiness (CCR) across all of the districts, Jake Eberwein, project manager for BERK12, said in a written statement.
“Career and college readiness is a critical part of our academic philosophy at BCC,” said Ellen Kennedy, president of Berkshire Community College. “We have long recognized the need for students to gain equal access to higher education, as evidenced by our growing dual enrollment program. We also take great pride in training our students for careers urgently needed in the Berkshires and beyond. This grant will help open the doors of higher education for all students, especially those who are historically disadvantaged.”
Eberwein said the districts participating in the effort include Berkshire Hills, Central Berkshire, Clarksburg, Farmington River Regional, Florida, Hancock, Hoosac Valley Regional, Lee-Tyringham, Mount Greylock Regional, Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School, and the Southern Berkshire Regional School District. Other key partners include Berkshire Community College and the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board, a workforce resource based in Pittsfield.
“This is an important project for the region,” added Bill Cameron, who chairs BERK12. “This will help all of these Berkshire County schools address the ongoing disparities in college and career readiness opportunities that are present here due to economic disadvantages, demographics, and our rural location.”
The project, named Strengthening Berkshire Student College and Career Readiness (CCR), will be comprised of three main elements: school-based teams that focus on student college and career-readiness development, mentoring, and support; CCR and work-based opportunities for middle and high school students; and the adoption of a shared CCR curriculum and teaching resources.
Eberwein said the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board has longstanding partnerships with all of the region’s public school districts in establishing CCR systems that will be further integrated and strengthened with the help of the grant. Working together with BERK12, the participating school districts will be able to improve student access to CCR and post-secondary opportunities, share best practices, and increase efficiencies in finance and operations that affect student outcomes.
“This program will be year-round and will not only provide opportunities to middle and high school students but will also open doors for K-5 students across the region,” said Berkshire Hills Superintendent Peter Dillon. “Some of the services we will be able to develop will specifically focus on engaging underrepresented students, including those who are identified as low-income and high-need.”
The grant funding will help the college and career readiness project develop services such as work-readiness training, mentoring and coaching, implementing work-based learning plans, job shadowing, and matching students with paid internship opportunities.
“All of the region’s youth, no matter their pathway after high school, need career readiness development to ensure they have the skill sets and knowledge required for their future career success,” said Heather Williams, youth director of MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board. “This is economic development at its core and can help secure investment in our local schools and communities, which is vital for the health of the commonwealth’s westernmost region.”
BERK12 was formerly known as the Berkshire County Education Task Force. The task force changed its name earlier this year “to reflect a renewed focus” on making resources available for school districts in the county.
Five years ago, the task force shocked the senses when it recommended the creation of a single countywide school district within 10 years. The move prompted some dissension, most notably at Berkshire Hills, where school committee member Richard Dohoney successfully called on his district to abandon its representation on the task force. The controversial proposal has since been put on the backburner.
