EllieAna Hale
Reporter

In an effort to expand educational program growth, the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) Network has recently announced that they have received a grant amounting to $951,000 from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant aims to propel the CAPS Network’s goals of expanding profession-based learning in rural America, with a particular emphasis in Kansas City and Kansas as a whole. 

CAPS, a nationally recognized high school program, places students in professional cultures where they gain the opportunity to take on real-world problems using industry-standard tools and benefit from mentorship by actual employers. 

As an organization, the CAPS Network has placed a focus on paving the education-to-employment path through profession-based learning.

The motivation behind the grant is CAPS’s desire to collaborate with local communities that want to provide high school students with authentic, real-world experiences connected to professionals in various fields. 

To ensure educators are equipped with the tools for success through the CAPS Network, the organization plans to offer training opportunities on the CAPS progressive approaches to education that align with the changing needs of
the workforce.

Additionally, through the grant, educators will be able to create a national network with their CAPS counterparts,  seeking to enable opportunities for collaboration and innovation in the field of education, creating a network of professionals dedicated to enhancing the learning experience for high school students.

This initiative is set to span the next three years, concluding in 2025-2026. 

The CAPS Network is enthusiastic about the positive impact this expansion will have on high school education in local communities. 

The organization remains insistent in its dedication to ensuring authentic, real-world learning experiences for students nationwide and locally, making sure that the future generation is well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the
professional world.