Congratulations to our partners at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges and Iowa Valley Community College who recently hosted ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new facilities funded in part through the Department’s Career Academy Incentive Fund. 

Located on EICC’s Muscatine Campus, the Muscatine Technology Center adds more than 5,000 square feet of state-of-the-art lab and classroom space, increasing capacity for EICC’s welding and advanced manufacturing programs. It will also house the campus’s CNC Machining program that starts this spring and expands opportunities for Career Academy high school students.

In Grinnell, the Grinnell Campus of Iowa Valley Community College dedicated its new Automotive Technology Lab. The state-of-the-art facility provides automotive technology students with nearly 7,000 square feet of learning space featuring nine lifts and ample space for hands-on learning for the growing program.

The application period for the 2025-26 Career Academy Incentive Fund remains open through April 17 for the next grant cycle.

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 at least four school districts. The Department will also consider tier 2 proposals that improve or expand existing career academies delivered through a regional center.

For more information, please contact Bureau of CTE and Postsecondary Readiness Administrative Consultant Heather Meissen at heather.meissen@iowa.gov.

The Bureau of Community Colleges has released its annual Iowa Community College Tuition and Fees Report that details trends in tuition and fees at Iowa's 15 community colleges.

The report finds that for fiscal year 2026, the average tuition for in-state students at Iowa's community colleges is $211.15 per credit hour, a 2.9 percent increase from FY25. Average mandatory fees increased by 16 percent in FY26, to $16.97 per credit hour.

In FY24, the most recent year for which data is available, tuition and fees accounted for 48.6 percent of Iowa's community colleges' unrestricted operating revenue.

The report details how Iowa's tuition and fees compare to those of other states both nationally and regionally.

For more information or questions about the Tuition and Fees Report, contact Division of Higher Education Administrative Consultant Kayli Sampson at kayli.sampson@iowa.gov.

As part of reporting and planning for the Workforce Training and Economic Development (WTED) program, colleges recently reported to the Department some of the many innovative ways WTED funds are used to meet industry needs. This month, we want to share how Iowa Central Community College used WTED funds to educate and train nursing students.

In partnership with UnityPoint, WTED funds created a simulation lab to provide students with real-world experience using state-of-the-art equipment on life-size mannequins with artificial intelligence capabilities.

"Without these funds, we would struggle to maintain and advance this facility," said Iowa Central Community College Dean of Economic Development & Continuing Education Shelly Blunk. "These funds essentially impact every nursing student at the college and ultimately these funds impact the healthcare experience that individuals receive."

The simulation lab ensures students encounter a broad range of scenarios they may not experience during their clinical years. The simulation lab is also used to expose high school students to careers and experiences in the health care fields, as well as the educational opportunities Iowa Central provides to prepare them for the in-demand field.

For more information on WTED, contact Bureau of Community Colleges Administrative Consultant Robin Shaffer Lilienthal at robin.lilienthal@iowa.gov.

Department staff will join colleagues from community colleges and career and technical education for a pair of upcoming annual Days on the Hill.
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Career and Technical Education Day on the Hill is scheduled for Feb. 19 from 7 a.m. to noon. The event stresses the need for high-quality CTE programs, with students showcasing the benefits of CTE and Career and Technical Student Organizations. It also affords students and CTE leaders the opportunity to advocate for high-quality CTE and its impact on Iowa.
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Community College Day on the Hill is scheduled for March 3, with staff and representatives from Iowa’s 15 community colleges having the opportunity to host conversations with legislators and leaders on how Iowa’s community colleges meet local workforce needs.

The Iowa Department of Education and Iowa Workforce Development are collaborating on a new series of work-based learning webinars for this academic year.

The webinar series is designed to showcase proven programs and approaches to work-based learning in Iowa’s most in-demand industries.

Both employers and educators are highly encouraged to register for the series, which is intended to help participants explore and ultimately partner on meaningful work-based learning programs.

Each webinar session is held from 3:30-4:30 p.m. The full schedule with planned session topics and registration links is listed below:

• Feb. 10 - Preparing Student-Learners for Construction and Advanced Manufacturing Careers 
• March 10 - Incorporating Industry-Recognized Credentials into Work-Based Learning

Recordings of the webinar sessions will be available on Iowa Workforce Development’s website after the conclusion of each webinar session.

For more information on career-connected learning and work-based learning opportunities, visit the Department’s webpage. Specific questions on the webinars can be directed to Administrative Consultant Heather Meissen at heather.meissen@iowa.gov.

The Bureau of Community Colleges staff is hosting a series of technical assistance webinars throughout the year. 

The next sessions are for Feb. 5 and 24 with sessions on Program Approval/Curriculum Changes and Annual Administrative Requirements Overview.

Participants can visit the Community College Technical Assistance Webinars webpage to register or contact Education Program Consultant for Program Quality and Faculty Support Derreck Calkins at derreck.calkins@iowa.gov. 

Mark your calendars now and make plans to attend two exciting annual statewide conference this spring.

Iowa's annual Work Based-Learning Conference is scheduled for April 6, 2026.

Meanwhile the annual Iowa ACTE Conference is slated for June 19, 2026.

The Bureau of CTE and Postsecondary Readiness has a new career opportunity for candidates passionate about education in Iowa.

We are hiring an Education Program Consultant (EPC) for Career and Technical Education that will be an integral member of the Federal Programs Bureau, providing technical assistance, monitoring and support to school districts, Area Education Agencies, and non-public schools.

The position will provide leadership administration and technical assistance in CTE, with a special emphasis on Applied STEM fields such as engineering, manufacturing, architecture, construction and transportation.

Applications for the position close Feb. 2.

To learn more about this and other Department job postings, visit the Iowa Department of Administrative Services website. For specific questions about open bureau positions, contact Bureau of CTE and Postsecondary Readiness Chief Cale Hutchings at cale.hutchings@iowa.gov.