 NEWS RELEASE
October 26, 2026
ODE Contact: Peter J. Rudy
BOLI Contact: Rachel Mann
Oregon invests $6.4 million in hands-on career learning for students at 51 schools
(Salem, OR) – Fifty-one Oregon high schools, consortia, and education service districts (ESDs) serving more than 20,000 students received career readiness grants to create or expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, Oregon Department of Education Director Dr. Charlene Williams and Labor Commissioner Christina Stephenson announced today.
The $6.4 million in state funding for CTE Revitalization Grants will support curriculum, equipment, and programming in communities across Oregon, with grants targeting high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand fields, including health care, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, construction, computer science, engineering, health sciences, hospitality, and natural resources.
These programs give students opportunities to gain hands-on experience, connect classroom learning to real-world applications, and prepare for careers and postsecondary education. They also strengthen connections among schools, employers, and communities to help meet Oregon’s workforce needs.
“The CTE Revitalization Grant Program recognizes the power of bringing education, innovation, and initiative together,” said ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams. “These projects give students practical, real-world learning experiences that help them connect what they learn in the classroom to the careers and opportunities ahead. By bringing together education partners, business and industry, and community members, we are investing in our young people and Oregon’s economic vitality.”
CTE participation is associated with strong graduation outcomes. Students who complete at least two CTE credits graduated at a record rate of 97.8% in the 2024-25 school year – 15.8 percentage points higher than the statewide graduation rate. This demonstrates the value of providing students with relevant, engaging learning experiences that connect their education to future opportunities.
“We’ve witnessed a remarkable transformation through CTE that goes beyond statistics and changes lives,” said Labor Commissioner Christina Stephenson. “These graduation outcomes show what happens when students are connected to real pathways towards skilled, family-wage careers with benefits. By ensuring equitable access to CTE across Oregon, we can give more students–especially those historically excluded from such opportunities–a chance to step into stable meaningful work that supports their long-term futures.”
Established by the Oregon Legislature in 2011, the CTE Revitalization Grant Program strengthens the connection between career and technical education, workforce development, and economic development. During the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers appropriated $7.9 million for the program.
The CTE Revitalization Grant Advisory Committee reviewed 66 applications requesting a total of $16 million. The committee considered geographic diversity, community partnerships, and alignment with high-wage, in-demand occupations, with particular attention to opportunities for historically and currently marginalized students.
ODE appoints the advisory committee, which includes representatives from education, organized labor, trade organizations, business, and industry.
See which programs received grants, and learn more about those programs on the CTE Revitalization Grant webpage.
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