New York City gets federal funds to add two more P-TECHs

The city Department of Education is getting $7 million from the U.S. Department of Education to create two new innovative high schools.

The award was announced today as part of a $103 million package of funds to redesign high schools that the Obama administration awarded to 24 districts.

The grant will fund two new schools that are like Pathways in Technology Early College High School, a three-year-old Brooklyn school that President Barack Obama visited in October. The much-hyped school features partnerships with IBM and CUNY that allow students to get technical training and college credits while still in high school.

“New York City has been a national innovator with our 9-14 Early College and Career school models, and we’re thrilled this generous grant will continue to support us in that work,” Department of Education spokesman Marcus Liem said in a statement.

The federal grant will also allow the city to expand an apprentice program in diesel mechanics, create a dental hygienist apprenticeship, and bolster college counseling at 10 career and technical education schools.

The city got high school funds from another source today, too. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a $400,000 grant for four city high schools to add clean-energy training for students.