Licensure Pathways Enhancement: Curriculum Development Grant

Iowa GROWS: Curriculum Grant - Notice of Funding Opportunity

State Agency Name

Iowa Department of Education

Funding Opportunity Title

Licensure Pathways Enhancement: Curriculum Development Grant

CFDA/ALN Number

84.323A

Important Dates

Applications for Licensure Pathways Enhancement Curriculum Grant Funds are due by Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 3:00pm Central Time.

A Notice of Intent to Award will be posted on the following websites:

• www.iowagrants.gov 

• https://educateiowa.gov

Technical Assistance

The Iowa Department of Education (Department) has provided additional Technical Assistance on the Department website.

Program Description

Iowa faces a persistent and well-documented special education teacher shortage that threatens the educational outcomes of thousands of students with disabilities. During the 2025-2026 school year, Iowa granted 478 conditional licenses in special education endorsement areas.

Iowa GROWS is a strategic initiative to transform Iowa's special education workforce by creating accessible career pathways that produce 100 special education apprentices (80 newly licensed; 20 positioned for licensure) and establishing 60 state-owned, evidence-based professional development courses to strengthen the skills of every educator serving students with disabilities by the end of the grant period.

The Licensure Pathways Enhancement (LPE) provides structured support to participating Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) to strengthen special education registered apprenticeship pathways. During Year One, Iowa GROWS will award LPE grants to IHE partners to support the revision, development, design, pilot, and implementation of special education licensure coursework aligned with Iowa Administrative Code 281 Chapter 79 and Administrative Code 282 Chapter 14 requirements in addition to the related instruction and on-the-job training components of the Registered Teacher Apprenticeship model.

Notice Purpose

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity is to solicit applications from Iowa Educator Preparation Programs for Licensure Pathway Enhancement Curriculum Development Grants.

Models

The Department seeks applications for funding both of the following LPE Curriculum Development Grants.

Table 1. LPE Curriculum Development Grant

Description	Existing Course	New Course
Eligible Applicants	Iowa IHEs with existing or intent to develop an apprentice pathway to Special Education licensure	Iowa IHEs with existing or intent to develop an apprentice pathway to Special Education licensure
Development Deadline	June 30, 2027	June 30, 2027
Activity	Revise, update, or enhance an existing three-credit special education course that would be required in an apprenticeship pathway leading to licensure	Develop, design, and pilot a three-credit special education course that would be required in an apprenticeship pathway leading to licensure
Funding Limitations	Up to $10,000 per course	Up to $15,000 per course
Covered Costs	Faculty stipends Administrative stipend to complete sponsor registration with Iowa Office of Apprenticeship Content references and resources Instructional design support	Faculty stipends Administrative stipend to complete sponsor registration with Iowa Office of Apprenticeship Content references and resources Instructional design support Pilot participant stipend

Funding Priorities

The Department seeks applications that emphasize the following funding priorities:

1. Clearly defined curriculum development objectives and intended outcomes

2. Demonstrates the significance of the proposed course revision or development to strengthen knowledge, skills, and competencies required for special education licensure

3. Evidence of need for the development, enhancement, or revision of the course

4. Alignment of faculty experience and expertise relevant to special education content, pedagogy, and curriculum development

5. Demonstration of strong institutional support for a special education apprentice pathway and designated coursework

6. Cultivate partnerships with school districts as employers and OJT providers to address local and/or regional teacher and paraeducator employment needs.

7. Support regional connections between school districts and teacher preparation programs across the state to expand teacher registered apprenticeship opportunities geographically with a demographically diverse and equitable program entry point for all interested stakeholders.

Performance Measures

All applications must include performance measures that logically connect a project’s goal(s) with proposed activities. Performance measures should include to the extent possible whether the expected results were achieved. The following performance measures are required as part of the grant:

1. Application of the Quality Control Rubric (QCR) with a score of 80% or above (see Appendix C)

2. For a newly developed course, completion of the Rapid-cycle pilot (see Appendix D)

3. Intent and strategy to meet the reporting requirements

4. Description of the plan and ability to track completion of the performance measures

Program Authority

The Department’s authority to award these grants is found at Iowa Code section 281-7.1(256,17A).

Definitions

Apprentice: A person employed in a program who is provided combined classroom and on-the-job training under the direct and close supervision of a highly skilled worker in an occupation recognized as an apprenticeable trade and registered by the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship and meeting the standards established by that office.

On-the-job training (OJT): A workforce development strategy where employers of all sizes have an opportunity to train, mentor, and hire candidates as they become fully proficient in a particular skill set or job function.

Paraeducator: An employee who works alongside and under the supervision of a licensed or certificated educator to support and assist in providing instructional and other services to children, youth, and their families.

Related training instruction (RTI): The classroom and/or lab learning experiences of registered apprentices. Hours spent in the classroom are designed to complement the OJT component of apprenticeships and enhance the learning experience.

Award Information

Estimated Funds Available

The Department has appropriated $300,000 of State Profession Development Grant funds for Licensure Pathway Enhancement curriculum development subgrants.

Estimated Award Amount

The Department is providing up to $10,000 for the redesign or revision of an existing 3 credit hour course required for RTI in a teacher apprentice pathway leading to special education licensure. The Department is providing up to $15,000 for the development and piloting of a new 3 credit hour course required for RTI in a teacher apprentice pathway leading to special education licensure.

Program Award Period

Awardees are required to seek reimbursement of funds by June 30, 2027. Any unexpended grant dollars must be returned to the Department thereafter.

The recipient must provide detailed progress reports to the Department by January 31, 2027 and April 30, 2027 in IowaWORKS for any incomplete subgrant work.

Use of Funds

Grant funds must be used to compensate faculty through stipends, compensate administrative work to register the program as in Intermediary Sponsor with Iowa Workforce Development, purchase of content references and resources to be used in the course, and any necessary instructional design support.

Reporting Requirements

Each awardee must submit a report to document the use of funds. This will certify funds were used in accordance with the grant application and grant program. All grantees must provide a detailed report of the use of funds prior to approval of reimbursement requests.

Payment Schedule

The executed grant agreement will specify conditions for reimbursement.

Eligibility Information

Eligible applicants include Iowa institutions of higher education educator preparation programs accredited by an agency approved to do so by the U.S. Department of Education, approved by the Iowa State Board of Education.

Grantees must comply with all applicable provisions of state and federal laws pertaining to nondiscrimination, sexual harassment, and equal employment opportunity.

Application and Submission Information

Applicants must submit applications electronically via IowaGrants.gov. The Department recommends applicants create an account and begin the application in advance of the deadline. For registration technical assistance, refer to Appendix B.

The applicant’s authorized representative must be the person who submits the application. The authorized representative must be using their own IowaGrants.gov account to sign in and submit the application.

Official email communication from the Department regarding this application will be issued from grants@iowagrants.gov. Applicants are required to ensure these communications are received and responded to accordingly.

Application Content

• General Information

• Institutional information.

• Description of the institution’s apprentice pathway to special education licensure.

Project Description

Summary of the intended actions the institution will take to revise, update, or develop special education coursework required for an apprentice pathway to licensure. The narrative should clearly identify measurable curriculum development objectives that directly address the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed by a special education teacher in an apprenticeship program. Provide a rationale for how the revision or development strengthens preparation and evidence of the need for this work.

Work Plan

Detailed timeline to complete the course revision, update, or creation. If proposing multiple courses, provide a work plan for each one.

Budget Summary and Budget Narrative

A detailed description of the proposed budget.

Faculty Qualifications

Provide faculty assignments for each proposed course revision, update, or development with justification for the experience and expertise for their qualification to execute the work. Curriculum Vitae must be submitted.

Performance Measures

The following performance measures are required as part of the grant. Clearly identify any additional outcomes relevant to the project.

• Application of the quality course rubric - must achieve 80% or higher (see Appendix C)
• For newly developed coursework - application of the rapid-cycle improvement and pilot process (see Appendix D)
• Intent and strategy to meet the reporting requirements
• Describe institution’s plan and ability to track and document the performance measures

Organization Capability Narrative

• The ability of the institution to support and complete the proposed work. Please address faculty capacity, resources, systems, and processes in place to complete the proposed work.
• Letter of support from an Administrator that oversees the educator preparation program and/or an Institution Administrator.

Iowa Community School District Partnerships

• Describe existing or intended school district partnerships that will lead to enrollment of candidates in an apprentice pathway leading to special education licensure.
• If partnerships is already established - a letter of support from CSD Administrator or Superintendent

Application Attachements

Please provide any relevant attachments

Authorization, Assurances and Certification

See Appendix A for further instructions and application technical assistance.

Submission Dates and Time

Please see the Important Dates section at the beginning of this announcement for the submission deadline. The Department reserves the right to extend the submission deadline, and any notice of such extension will be posted on the Department website and IowaGrants.gov.

Attempted submission of a completed application after the stated due date and time will not be allowed by the system. If a submission is attempted after the published date and time, the applicant will receive a notice stating that the funding opportunity is closed.

Application Review Information

Table 2. Review Criteria

Section	Points
Project Description	30 Points
Work Plan	20 Points
Budget Summary and Narrative	10 Points
Faculty Qualifications	20 Points
Performance Measures	10 Points
Organization Capability	5 Points
Partnerships	5 Points
Total	100 Points

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: [email protected].