FY27 Secondary CTE Regional Planning Partnership

FY27 Secondary CTE Regional Planning Partnership Grant

Regional career and technical education planning partnerships (RPPs) were established (281.46.10 (258)) to assist school districts in providing an effective, efficient, and economical means of delivering high-quality secondary career and technical education programs. 

To that end, each RPP must submit an annual application to the Department of Education.

The process for submitting RPP applications for the 2026-2027 school year will be similar to last year.

Applications will be completed in Iowa Grants and will be due on October 15, 2026 @ 11:59:59 PM.

The following items are to be submitted as part of the application:

• RPP Bylaws

• Membership List – including Identification of Officers

• Multi-Year plan

• Minutes with approval of the multi-year plan

• Schedule of Future Meetings

• Schedule of Program Approvals

• FY27 Budget Form

• RPP Budget Explanation and Approval

• Minutes approving the budget for 2026-2027

• FY25 Financial Report/Transaction Detail

RPP Uses of Funds

Iowa Code 256.136(6) A regional career and technical education partnership may use funds received from state sources on behalf of school districts and community colleges participating in the regional career and technical education planning partnership to convene, lead, and staff the regional career and technical education planning partnership; to offer regional career and technical professional development opportunities; to coordinate and maintain a career guidance system pursuant to section 279.61; to purchase career and technical education equipment; and to purchase standard classroom consumable supplies other than consumable supplies that will be made into products to be sold or used personally by students, teachers, or other persons. The regional career and technical education partnership shall demonstrate that all expenditures are aligned with high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand occupations as defined in section 256.125.

46.10(6) Secondary career and technical education funds. An approved regional career and technical education partnership may use funds received from state sources on behalf of school districts and community colleges participating in the regional career and technical education planning partnership for the following:

a. Staffing and resources to ensure the minimum duties and responsibilities assigned to the regional planning partnership under subrules 46.10(4) and 46.10(5) are satisfactorily executed. The partnership will ensure adequate staffing and resources are committed to these purposes prior to allocating funds for any use authorized under paragraph 46.10(6)“b.”

b. ​​​​​To offer regional career and technical education professional development opportunities; coordinate, maintain, and support a career guidance system pursuant to 281—Chapter 49 and related workbased learning opportunities for students; and purchase career and technical education equipment and curricular resources to include standard classroom consumable supplies directly related to and necessary for the course curriculum, other than basic consumable supplies that will be made into products to be sold or used personally by students, teachers, and other persons. [ARC 7795C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24; ARC 9103C, IAB 4/16/25, effective 5/21/25]

Additional Guidance Related to Allowable Consumable Supplies

The use of RPP Funds for purchases of consumables is allowed. The intent of consumable purchases is to support high-quality career and technical education programs. Purchases of consumable supplies to be made into products to be sold or used personally by students, teachers, or other persons, as well as purchases of materials to be used for a fundraiser, are not allowed.

For example (not allowed):

• The class raises bedding plants to sell. The profit goes back to the account that pays for the supplies and cannot go back to the RPP fund. Whether there is a profit or not, this would not be acceptable uses for these funds.

• The class runs a bistro/café and charges for the food.

• Upgraded materials for student projects. The cost for material upgrades is the student’s responsibility.

If you have specific questions regarding RPP applications, or use of funds, please contact Heather Meissen at heather.meissen@iowa.gov.

It is the policy of the Iowa Department of Education not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sexual orientation, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, political party affiliation, or actual or potential parental, family or marital status in its programs, activities, or employment practices as required by the Iowa Code sections 216.9 and 256.10(2), Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000d and 2000e), the Equal Pay Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 206, et seq.), Title IX (Educational Amendments, 20 U.S.C.§§ 1681 – 1688), Section 504 (Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq.). 

If you have questions or complaints related to compliance with this policy by the Iowa Department of Education, contact the legal counsel for the Iowa Department of Education, Grimes State Office Building, 400 E 14th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0146, Telephone: 515-281-5295, or the Director of the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building, 1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582, Telephone: (303) 844-5695 FAX: (303) 844-4303, TDD 800-877-8339 Email: OCR.Denver@ed.gov.