Grant Received by Starmont from Iowa's Education Department
Iowa's Credentials to Careers Grant Program Supports Students in Earning Industry-Recognized Credentials
The Credentials to Careers grant program in Iowa is providing funding to fifteen school districts to help students earn industry-recognized credentials through Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. Each awarded district can receive up to $50,000 to support credential attainment during the 2025-26 school year.
The program supports a wide variety of credentials, including those in welding, food service, conservation management, commercial driver’s license (CDL), livestock management and science, OSHA safety, agriculture, computer science and IT-related credentials, among others. These credentials are certifications, licenses, or credentials that are vetted by employers and endorsed by national trade associations or industry organizations.
The grant aims to enhance alignment between CTE programs and workforce needs by expanding access to portable, stackable credentials that verify skill mastery and prepare students for in-demand, high-wage jobs across multiple industries in Iowa.
Eligible school districts for this round include Keokuk High School, Fort Dodge Community School District, Boyden-Hull, and Starmont (among others). The Iowa Department of Education awarded a grant to Starmont school district.
Allowable costs for the grant include 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 or credential delivery requirements, and curriculum enhancements related to offering new credentials.
In addition to the general Credentials to Careers program, there is a specialized Credentials to Computer Science Careers grant offering $850,000 total statewide for competitive awards to districts to support technology and computer science credential attainment aligned with labor market demands.
The Credentials to Careers grant program has provided over $3.5 million in total since its inception in 2024. The grant program does not specify which career and technical education programs are being aligned with industry-recognized credentials in this most recent round, the exact number of grants awarded, or the number of schools or students benefiting from this round. However, it is clear that the program supports districts in investing in comprehensive resources and training necessary to enable students to successfully acquire meaningful industry credentials that improve their career prospects post-graduation.
- The Credentials to Career grant program in Iowa has granted funding to Keokuk High School, Fort Dodge Community School District, Boyden-Hull, Starmont, and other school districts to help students earn local industry-recognized credentials in education and self-development areas like welding, food service, conservation management, CDL, livestock management and science, OSHA safety, agriculture, computer science, and IT-related fields.
- The Iowa Department of Education awarded a grant to Starmont school district, one of the fifteen eligible school districts, to support credential attainment during the 2025-26 school year, with each district allowedto receive up to $50,000 for learning opportunities.
- Under the Credentials to Computer Science Careers grant, eligible districts can apply for funds to support technology and computer-science-related credentials which align with labor market demands, as part of Iowa's efforts to improve career development and skills training in education and self-development.
- The Credentials to Careers grant program has been instrumental in furthering Iowa's education and self-development system by offering career development and skills training programs, thereby enabling students to achieve industry-recognized credentials and boost their career prospects post-graduation.
