It is the mission of Iowa CTE to promote high levels of learning, achievement, and performance for all students, so they will become successful members of their community and the workforce and promote higher education that results in an improved quality of life supported by better economic opportunities through high skill employment.

CTE Delivery: 

CTE is offered through the following institutions: 

  • Comprehensive high schools
  • Community colleges

The purpose of career and technical education (CTE) is to integrate workplace competencies and career and technical education with core academic subjects. In many instances, CTE programs have been limited to a “career awareness” focus–providing students with a wide range of knowledge with comparatively little depth. While career awareness programs provide exposure to options, learning about an industry is not the equivalent of learning the skills necessary to do a job. In the best of worlds, career preparation follows career awareness. 

The 2006 reauthorization of the Carl Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act dramatically altered state CTE programs by requiring them to focus on “career preparation” if they receive federal funding under the Perkins Act. These CTE programs seek to teach the academic skills–and the application of flexible, adaptive and transferable skills–preparing students for the workforce while simultaneously giving them the foundation for a successful college career. 

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources

Agricultural Education prepares students for successful careers and a lifetime of informed choices in the global agriculture, food, fiber, and natural resources systems.

Mike Rupert
Jr./Sr. High School Agriculture Teacher

Courses offered: 

  • Agriculture 1
  • Agriculture 2
  • Agriculture 3
  • Agriculture 4
  • Middle School Agriculture and Shop

Applied Science, Technology, Engineering, and Manufacturing

Industrial Technology Education programs prepare students for careers and higher education within Manufacturing Technology, Engineering, and Design, Construction Technology, Transportation Technology, and Communication. Students are provided technical knowledge that emphasizes high standards and quality experiences in leadership, teamwork, citizenship, and character development.

Shane Webster
Jr./Sr. High School Industrial Technology Teacher

Courses offered:

  • Intro to Industrial Technology
  • DIVA DIY
  • Metals Technology
  • Construction
  • Principals of Electronics (DMACC)
  • Engineering Design

Human Services

Family and Consumer Sciences Education empowers individuals and families across the life span to manage the challenges of living and working in a diverse global society.  Our unique focus is on families, work, and their relationships.

Chrystin Clark
Jr./Sr. High School Family & Consumer Science Teacher

Courses offered: 

  • Interior Design & Adult Living
  • Culinary 1 & Culinary 2
  • Child Development 1 & Child Development 2
  • Textiles & Fashion & Advanced Sewing
  • Middle School Family & Consumer Sciences

Business, Finance, Marketing, and Management

Business and Marketing helps to prepare students master the knowledge and skills needed to function as citizens, consumers, employees, managers, business owners, and directors of their economic futures through the study of accounting, business law, career development, communication, computation, economics, personal finance, entrepreneurship, information technology, international business, management, and marketing.

Jen Snyder
Jr./Sr. High School Business & Computers

Courses offered: 

  • Accounting 1
  • Accounting 2 (DMACC)
  • General Business/Entrepreneurship
  • Marketing/Law
  • Publications
  • Financial Literacy