The school district is pursuing three small federal and regional grants aimed at boosting teacher development, incorporating cultural learning and sending students around Southeast Alaska for career training.

While the district relies heavily on steady, recurring annual formula funding — such as state dollars, federal money for districts with migrant students, Indian Education Act support and special education funding — district officials are focusing on new opportunities.

The newly targeted funds are intended to enhance the overall learning experience inside and outside the classroom.

Schools Superintendent Joshua Garrett said the potential new funding sources are meant to enhance, not replace, existing resources.

“Any additional funds that we get through these grants are specifically designed to add to what we already have,” he said, adding that the grants could total in the tens of thousands of dollars.

One of the competitive applications is for the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program run by the U.S. Department of Education.

According to Garrett, Wrangell schools were selected as one of only “six or seven school districts (in Alaska)” chosen to apply for these specific funds.

According to the district’s grant application, the Teacher and School Leader funding is intended to target educator recruitment, retention and leadership development. Garrett noted that this aligns directly with the district’s long-term objectives.

“We continue to look for opportunities to increase training and support for our teachers as well as learning experience for our students.”

The remaining two competitive grants focus heavily on culturally relevant programs.

The Career and Technical Education grant program is under the U.S. Department of Education. The first initiative, titled Drawing on Kinship, represents a three-year commitment to project-based learning.

The program specializes in rural science, technology, engineering, art and math and computational thinking initiatives. The grant is intended to align with place-based learning and culturally relevant instruction, allowing teachers to incorporate cultural heritage directly into classroom concepts.

The other cultural program grant application is to the Pathways & Partnerships for Southeast Alaska program, coordinated through the Sealaska Heritage Institute.

This partnership is designed to open regional doors, providing students with the opportunity to participate in courses throughout Southeast Alaska at multiple schools. The grant would cover travel costs.

Garrett said the initiative would greatly expand workforce-connected learning and experiential education, helping students gain practical skills for their futures beyond graduation.