Mercer County Vocational Schools Gets Grant To Develop AI Curriculum

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — The Mercer County Vocational School District has received a grant to foster the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the district, the Department of Education (NJDOE) said.

The school got $338,872 in grant funds. The grant is among two announced Wednesday under Gov. Phil Murphy’s fiscal year 2025 budget.

The school is among two county vocational school districts across the state to receive the “Expanding Career Pathways in Artificial Intelligence Grant.” The other technical-vocational school to receive the grant is the Middlesex County Vocational School District which got $375,000.

This grant is designed to expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) students’ knowledge and skills on how computers and software mimic human learning, reasoning, and motor skills.

The vocational-technical school will create, develop, and publish a cutting-edge AI and robotics CTE curriculum based on innovative principles for teaching and learning AI, the NJDOE said.

“In New Jersey, we are committed to building up our innovation economy and investing in the next generation of tech leaders,” Murphy said.

“By giving our students the tools necessary to engage with AI, we are ensuring our state will remain a national leader in cutting-edge technological advancements and innovations for years to come. I look forward to seeing what these grant recipients are able to accomplish.”

The CTE students in these schools will learn about computing theory, cybernetics, human factors, natural language processing, and their applications to engineering and technology. Additionally, CTE students will be better equipped to navigate and participate in technological AI advancements, understand how AI processes data to make decisions, and identify AI’s limitations and potential biases through hands-on experiences.

Acting Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer said the school districts receiving these grants are at the forefront of the future of education.

“By embracing AI, they are preparing students to excel in a workforce that increasingly requires a deep understanding of how to leverage this technology,” Dehmer said.

“These programs are an important step toward ensuring that our classrooms not only integrate the latest technologies but also nurture the critical thinking and ethical understanding needed to thrive in the age of AI.”

New Jersey State Chief AI Strategist, Beth Simone Noveck, said the Garden State’s public schools have long set the standard for educational excellence, and these AI Innovation grants represent the next step forward.

“By thoughtfully integrating AI literacy and tools into our classrooms, we're democratizing access to these transformative technologies while preparing our next generation of leaders. Together, these grant programs will help us navigate technological AI advancements and support the development of best practices for responsible AI use in education that can benefit schools across our state, ensuring every New Jersey student has the opportunity to shape our AI-enabled future,” Noveck said.

The grant runs until Jan. 31, 2026.

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