Each February, career and technical education (CTE) programs step into the spotlight for CTE Month. Across the nation, students, educators and community partners celebrate the value and achievements of CTE programs as an integral component of a well-rounded education for all students. So, how will your Iowa school district or college campus celebrate?

CTE programs throughout the state help prepare Iowa students for future successful careers in high-demand fields. High-quality CTE programs engage students as they develop both technical and academic skills and feature both classroom instruction and hands-on learning experiences. Popular in-demand career fields such as health care, information technology, advanced manufacturing, culinary and more are frequently offered to students looking to develop skills and gain experience. Oftentimes, students are also able to earn college credits and valuable credentials through CTE programming.

“CTE programs are an important part of education in Iowa and can open doors for students,” said Dennis Harden, chief of career and technical education at the Iowa Department of Education. “They provide high-value opportunities to learn new skills using real-world technology and help individuals identify potential career pathways.”

Students, educators and partners are encouraged to participate in activities to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of CTE programs next month. 

The division recently released fiscal year (FY) 2022 reports for the Pathways for Career Employment (PACE) Program, Gap Tuition Assistance Program, Work-Based Learning Intermediary Network, Adult Education and Literacy Programs (AEL) and the Workforce Training and Economic Development Fund (WTED). The 2022 WTED annual progress report and 2023 WTED annual plan were presented to and approved by the State Board of Education on Jan. 12. These programs are funded through the Iowa Department of Education’s allocation of the Iowa Skilled Worker and Job Creation Fund, which was created to support worker training and job creation efforts with funding from the state’s gaming industry receipts.

FY22 report highlights include the following:

• A total of 1,163 applicants were approved for tuition assistance under the Gap Tuition Assistance Program and 1,612 students completed their programs during FY22.
• A total of 2,867 applicants were approved for tuition assistance under PACE. By the end of AY21-22, 554 students received an award through credit programs, 649 completed noncredit programs, 457 earned industry credentials and 803 earned third-party credentials.
• The Iowa Work-Based Learning Intermediary Network provided work-based learning experiences to 92,987 educator and student participants.
• Iowa’s AEL programs served 9,328 unique participants.
• A total of 64,998 participants and 3,551 businesses benefited from programs funded through the WTED fund.

Four $50,000 grants have been awarded to Iowa community colleges to support four new college and career transition counselor (CCTC) positions. Des Moines Area Community College, Iowa Central Community College, Indian Hills Community College and Iowa Western Community College will receive funds to employ a CCTC or additional CCTC position in their region. CCTCs work directly with students in grades 11 and 12 to support college transition and career exploration through targeted connections during crucial time frames, including preparation, transition to enrollment and persistence through their postsecondary experience.

For more information, contact Erica Woods-Schmitz, Education Program Consultant at erica.woods-schmitz@iowa.gov or 515-330-0185.

The Iowa Department of Education has opened the second round of grant funding for the 2022-23 Career Academy Incentive Fund. The deadline to apply is April 20.

Applications must include collaboration between at least one Iowa school district and one community college. Partnerships that promote equitable access to high-quality career and technical education (CTE) programs are strongly encouraged to apply. Priority consideration will be given to applicants who focus on programming delivered through regional centers that include partnerships between multiple Iowa school districts and their local community college.

The Career Academy Incentive Fund is provided through the 2019 reauthorization of Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE), and individual grant programs can be awarded up to $1 million for career academy development and expansion. The number of grant awards is based on the amount of funds available and the scope of projects submitted.

The first round of the 2022-23 Career Academy Incentive Fund was awarded in December 2022. Iowa Central Community College, North Scott Community School District, Northwest Iowa Community College and Southwestern Community College each received a $1 million grant award to increase access to career academy programs in their areas.

Application materials have been updated for the second round of funding. The most current application and career academy program application can be found on the Department’s Career Academy Incentive Fund webpage.

For more information, contact Jen Rathje, Education Program Consultant at jennifer.rathje@iowa.gov or 515-326-5389.

The State Park and Institutional Roads Program provides funding to construct, reconstruct, improve and maintain roadways, including bridges, within the boundaries of state-owned lands or community college property. Sixty-five one-hundredths of one percent of the Road Use Tax Fund is allocated for maintenance and improvement of the State Park and Institutional Roads system.

There are over 600 miles of roadways in the Park and Institutional Roads System. State agencies participating in the program are the Iowa Department of Corrections (DOC), Iowa Department of Education (DOE), State Fair Board, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Guard of Iowa, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Board of Regents and Iowa Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Capitol Complex.

Each agency is allocated a percentage of the fund based on the Iowa Code, as follows: Iowa DNR (45.5%), Board of Regents (30%), Iowa HHS (6.5%), Iowa DOE (6%), Iowa DOC (5.5%), National Guard of Iowa (4%), State Fair Board (2%) and Iowa DAS Capitol Complex (0.5%)

In Fall 2022, all (15) community colleges were able to submit project proposals for review; the awards from the Fall 2022 application cycle for calendar year 2026 is:

CY 2026:
Southwestern Iowa Community College – ($400,000)
Replace and repair a mix of asphalt and concrete roadways – Spartan Drive, Southwestern Blvd, Student Drive

CY 2027:
A second call for applications will be forthcoming in the Spring 2023 semester.

For more information, contact Jeff Fletcher, Education Program Consultant at jeffrey.fletcher@iowa.gov or 515-321-7309.

Work-based learning coordinators, content-area instructors and other staff who are interested in integrating work-based learning into their courses are highly encouraged to attend the virtual work-based learning webinars. The webinars are designed for school districts and colleges to review internal practices to make strides in delivering quality work-based learning programs. The webinars are hosted by Kristy Volesky, work-based learning consultant at the Iowa Department of Education, and include strategies applicable to districts and colleges outside of Iowa.

Upcoming Webinars:

• Incorporating Best Practices for Work-Based Learning in Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Career Academies
• Supporting Historically Underserved Students in Work-Based Learning

Each webinar is less than 30 minutes and includes a handout with simple steps districts and colleges can take to improve work-based learning experience. Registration is free and available on the Iowa Department of Education's Work-Based Learning website. Past webinars are recorded and available on the website.

For more information, contact Kristy Volesky, Education Program Consultant at kristy.volesky@iowa.gov or 515-971-0669.