Wallingford schools will receive almost $70,000 in federal grants, according to the New Haven Register, for “electronic success programs,” teaching entrepreneurship and starting an aquaculture program.

The Register reports Wallingford officials didn’t even know about the grants until April and staff spent their vacations writing the applications.

The money is divided between:

  • $21,096 to help students set goals and “explore possible college and career choices”
  • $15,444 to fund an e-commerce start-up run by students
  • $33,060 to start an aquaculture program

As much as I support teaching students about setting goals, entrepreneurship and even aquaculture (seafood, anyone?), why is the federal government funding these programs?

Shouldn’t school districts be teaching these things anyway? What does it say about school districts if they won’t teach these things with their own money? If these aren’t priorities, why apply for the grants at all?

Is this really why we have a federal Department of Education?