Secondary Career and Technical Education Impact Report details growth of CTE in Iowa

Nearly 70% of Iowa high school students participated in career and technical education (CTE) in 2024-25, according to the recently published Secondary Career and Technical Education Impact Report.

The annual report from the Iowa Department of Education highlights the vital role that career and technical education plays in building Iowa’s talent pipeline by preparing students for postsecondary education, training and high-demand careers. The report also details statewide priorities, participation and outcomes for secondary CTE.

“We are excited to see the continued gains Iowa students are making through career and technical education,” said Cale Hutchings, chief of the Department’s Bureau of Career and Technical Education. “These outcomes show that CTE is expanding pathways for students to earn credentials, gain work-based learning experience and successfully transition to college, training and high-demand careers.”

Those 70% of high school students engaged in CTE represent more than 107,000 Iowans. Of that group, approximately 37,000 students became ‘CTE concentrators,’ meaning they completed extensive coursework within a career pathway.

Many students are drawn to career areas that blend technical skills with hands-on opportunities, such as human services, applied sciences, technology, engineering and manufacturing, business, finance, marketing and management, being the most common CTE content areas.

Nearly half of Iowa high school seniors in a CTE program participated in at least one work-based learning experience in 2024-25. Some students shadowed professionals, others completed internships or Registered Apprenticeships, and many engaged in simulated workplace experiences tied directly to their areas of interest.

Work-based learning experiences also led students to earn tangible certifications and qualifications. More than 8,600 students earned at least one industry-recognized credential, such as an OSHA-10 certification, ServSafe Food Handler, certified nursing assistant and many others. These credentials give students a competitive advantage by proving they already possess valuable workforce skills before graduating high school.

Beyond classrooms and credentials, Iowa is building a stronger support system for students. Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO), such as FFA, DECA, HOSA, SkillsUSA, and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), engaged more than 50,000 students in leadership development, competitions and service opportunities. Meanwhile, college and career transition counselors helped students navigate pathways into apprenticeships, military service, two-year colleges, four-year universities and the workforce.

The report also highlights how Iowa’s CTE system is meeting ambitious federal performance goals. Under Perkins V accountability measures, Iowa exceeded required benchmarks in graduation rates, academic achievement, post-program placement, credential attainment and work-based learning participation. The state achieved a remarkable 95.73% four-year graduation rate among CTE students and exceeded expectations across nearly every measured category.

Perhaps the most important theme running through the report is access. Through regional centers and career academies, even rural communities are gaining access to advanced coursework, specialized equipment and industry-aligned instruction. In 2024-25, 30 regional centers served nearly 7,000 students through 205 career academies and offered 49 different community college degrees or diplomas. The number of students concurrently enrolled in CTE courses at community colleges increased by 5.4%, with 16.2% of CTE students concurrently enrolled.

The report also highlights the growth and promising outlook for CTE in Iowa. That outlook is bolstered by the recent passage of House File 316, that requires career exploration in fifth grade, and House File 2465, which allows greater flexibility in using CTE courses for core credit, with agriculture courses counting toward science credits and applied sciences, technology, engineering and manufacturing.

This increased access and participation in CTE, as detailed in the report, vividly demonstrates the growth of CTE in Iowa and how it prepares students for success in high-demand careers and provides multiple pathways to achieve a future in those fields.

For more information on CTE in Iowa, visit the Department’s Career and Technical Education webpage.