CTE month is almost here, and Iowa has many reasons to celebrate this February.

Career and technical education (CTE) programs are stronger than ever, and opportunities for Iowa students to develop quality academic and technical skills in high-demand job areas continue to grow.

The Iowa Department of Education will be participating in many upcoming activities next month and encourages students, educators, administrators and partners to join in these opportunities to further support and strengthen CTE in Iowa.

“CTE Month is a great opportunity to not only recognize our achievements in career and technical education but also to expand our opportunities for students even further,” said Dennis Harden, CTE chief for the Department. “We want Iowa to be a top state for CTE. With strong CTE programs, we can ensure that students have opportunities to develop the skills and intelligence needed to succeed after graduation.”

The spring application period for the 2023-24 Career Academy Incentive Fund is now open. Grant applications will be accepted through April 17.

The Career Academy Incentive Fund supports increased access to career academy programs through regional centers and highlights partnerships between school districts, community colleges, business and industry and other partners. Successful proposals promote equitable access to high-quality career and technical education programs and include at least one school district and one community college. Priority consideration will be given to applicants who focus on programming delivered to multiple school districts. For the spring application period, the Department will also consider tier 2 proposals that improve or expand existing career academies delivered through a regional center. 

Questions regarding this application period can be directed to Heather Meissen at heather.meissen@iowa.gov or 515-326-5378.

The Iowa Department of Education has announced that $1.7 million in competitive grants are available to Iowa school districts to align secondary career and technical education programs with industry-recognized credentials. The new Credentials to Careers grant will support high schoolers earning credentials with labor market value.

“By expanding opportunities to attain an industry-recognized credential in high school, the Credentials to Careers grant helps connect the classroom to the workforce,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “Students earning portable, stackable credentials will be ready to succeed in high-wage and public-good careers, changing lives and strengthening communities.”

Industry-recognized credentials are certifications, credentials or licenses that are vetted by employers and endorsed by a nationally recognized trade association or organization in a particular industry. Credentials are available across many career pathways, including those in health sciences, information technology, construction, manufacturing, child development, culinary and business.

For more information on the Credentials to Career grant, contact Justin Lewis at justin.lewis@iowa.gov or 515-669-7007.

The first Iowa Agriculture Education Summit was a success! An estimated 215 Iowa agriculture secondary and postsecondary educators attended the three-day conference, held Jan. 21-23 at the Des Moines Area Community College's FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. 

Director McKenzie Snow addressed the attendees at the conference and helped celebrate the great strides made towards the "All In for Ag Ed" goals. Other guest speakers at the summit featured keynote presenter Blaze Curry as well as other presenters from Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio and California.

The summit provided opportunities for educators from across the state to network and share how FFA and Supervised Agricultural Experiences can ensure students are future-ready within the Iowa ag industry. 

For more information on the summit or agriculture education in Iowa, contact Matthew Eddy at matthew.eddy@iowa.gov or 515-720-8863. 

The courses for the Summer College Credit Program have been recently approved for 2024. To help address workforce needs in local communities, many of the courses are in high-demand career areas such as certified nursing assistant, health care, welding and manufacturing.

Award letters and initial grant payments will be sent out to community colleges in the coming weeks.

For more information on the Summer College Credit Program, contact Heather Meissen at heather.meissen@iowa.gov or 515-326-5378.

The Iowa Department of Education has officially launched its new website at educate.iowa.gov. The website is designed to help Iowans easily access the information and services they need. Administrators, educators, business partners and other users are invited to visit the site and update their current bookmarks.

The new website provides a comprehensive overview of the education services Iowans use and now includes information from Iowa College Aid and the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners, which aligned with the Department last year.

Two $50,000 grants have been awarded to Iowa community colleges to support additional college and career transition counselor (CCTC) positions.

Iowa Central Community College and Indian Hills Community College will receive start-up funds as part of the fourth-round of CCTC grants to increase the number of CCTC positions in their region. CCTCs work directly with students in grades 11-12 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 the 2023-24 school year, there are over 50 CCTCs across the 15 community college regions, serving students in over 100 high schools. The additional positions generated under this grant round will increase the number of CCTCs and extend their support into additional high schools. 

The Iowa Department of Education is offering an additional round of the CCTC grant for the 2024-25 school year. The grant application opened through IowaGrants is open through Feb. 28. More information is available in the CCTC informational webinar PowerPoint.

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

Join our team! The Bureau of Community Colleges and Postsecondary Readiness has new career opportunities for candidates passionate about education in Iowa.

We are currently seeking applicants for an Administrative Consultant for career and technical education (CTE) programs. This position will provide leadership, technical assistance and support for CTE educators and administrators across the state. The deadline to apply is Feb. 18

Additionally, the bureau has an open position for an Education Program Consultant that will focus on data and reporting. The successful candidate will assist with data analysis and research on CTE and postsecondary programs and will be an integral member of the bureau. Applications for this job opening will be collected through Feb. 4.

To learn more about these and other Department job postings, visit the Iowa Department of Administrative Services website. For specific questions on the Administrative Consultant position, contact Dennis Harden at dennis.harden@iowa.gov of 515-314-7852. Questions regarding the Education Program Consultant position can be directed to Amy Gieseke at amy.gieseke@iowa.gov or 515-858-2234. 

The Bureau of Community Colleges and Postsecondary Readiness will have staff changes effective Feb. 1.

Administrative consultant Paula Nissen will be departing the Department. During the interim, questions regarding noncredit data reporting, WTED funding and Gap Tuition Assistance can be directed to Amy Gieseke at amy.gieseke@iowa.gov or 515-858-2234. 

The bureau wishes Paula a fond farewell and best of luck as she moves forward in her career path.