Fifteen Iowa school districts will share $500,000 in state grants aimed at giving high school students a head start on careers through industry-recognized credentials.
The Credentials to Careers program, launched in 2024, funds projects that connect classroom learning with in-demand workplace skills. With this latest round of awards, the Iowa Department of Education has invested more than $3.5 million to expand credentialing opportunities across the state.
“By expanding opportunities to attain an industry-recognized credential in high school, we’re helping students step confidently into high-wage, high-demand, and public-good careers,” said McKenzie Snow, director of the Iowa Department of Education. “These credentials are portable, stackable, and open multiple pathways to postsecondary success.”
Grants of up to $50,000 each will go to:
Ballard, Boyden-Hull, Chariton, Des Moines, Dubuque, Durant, Fort Dodge, Glenwood, Hinton, Keokuk, Knoxville, Missouri Valley, Starmont, West Des Moines, and Winterset Community School Districts.
Industry-recognized credentials are certifications or licenses endorsed by employers and trade associations to prove mastery of specific skills—ranging from health sciences and information technology to construction, manufacturing, culinary arts, child development, and business.
Funding can be used for costs such as student exam fees, specialized instructional equipment, computer hardware and software, internet upgrades, teacher training, and curriculum improvements—so long as they directly support credential attainment in secondary CTE programs.
Since the program began, another 36 districts have already received support to launch or expand credential-based programs, helping to align Iowa’s education system with regional workforce needs.
Grants are funded through state set-aside Perkins reserve dollars under the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The reserve funds are designed to spark innovation and strengthen the connection between schools and the job market.
