The Keokuk High School has been awarded the Credentials to Careers grant for up to $50,000 from the Iowa Department of Education.
The grant provides funds that can be used to support students in obtaining Industry-recognized credentials through the Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs. The CTE programs at KHS include Agriculture, Automotive, Building Trades, Business, Computer Science, Family & Consumer Science, Health Occupations and Welding.
“This grant will open even more doors for our students and allow us to expand access to industry-recognized credentials, giving our graduates a competitive edge,” Nathan Harrison, Keokuk High School principal, said. “This is truly an investment in the future of our students and we are grateful for this support.”
The grant provided the explanation that “industry-recognized credentials are certifications, credentials or licenses vetted by employers and endorsed by a nationally recognized trade association or organization in a particular industry.” Furthermore, the credentials are “valuable tools for individuals in the workforce, which verifies skill mastery and educational attainment.”
According to the Iowa Department of Education, the following 15 school districts will each be awarded up to $50,000 during the 2025-26 school year “through this round of grant funding to align career and technical education (CTE) programs with the attainment of one or more industry-recognized credentials”:
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- Ballard Community School District
- Boyden-Hull Community School District
- Chariton Community School District
- Des Moines Public Schools
- Dubuque Community School District
- Durant Community School District
- Fort Dodge Community School District
- Glenwood Community School District
- Hinton Community School District
- Keokuk Community School District
- Knoxville Community School District
- Missouri Valley Community School District
- Starmont Community School District
- West Des Moines Community School District
- Winterset Community School District
“… The grant helps connect the classroom to the workplace,” McKenzie Snow, Iowa Department of Education Director, said. “Students earning portable, stackable credentials will be ready to succeed in in-demand, high-wage and public-good careers across our state. … Iowa is ensuring all students are empowered with multiple pathways to postsecondary success.”
Districts were awarded the grant after each demonstrated a clear, sustainable plan to align one or more existing CTE pathways with student attainment of industry-recognized credentials. The award amount for each district was up to $50,000 and was determined by the costs outlined in each applicant’s budget proposal, according to the Iowa Department of Education.
The grant can cover student exam fees, instructional equipment, non-consumable instructional supplies, computer equipment and software, wired and wireless internet connections, installation costs, instructor training related to new equipment purchases, instructor training expenses required to offer the credential and curriculum enhancements, per the Iowa Department of Education.
