Career Pathways Exploration Grant Program 84.424J - DOL-OESE-34043

Career Pathways Exploration Grant Program 84.424J - DOL-OESE-34043 is sponsored by U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE). The Career Pathways Exploration (CPE) program provides competitive grants to States to build their capacity to integrate career exploration into statewide career pathways and workforce readiness programs for elementary and secondary school students.

Career Pathways Exploration Grant Program (84. 424J) | U.S. Department of Education Career Pathways Exploration Grant Program (84.

424J) Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) Ivonne Jaime and Elyse Robertson State Agencies (Not Education) State Educational Agencies (SEAs) State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies (SVRAs) Estimated Total Grant Funding Expected Number Of Awards 06/09/2026 - 11:59 PM EDT Applicant Info and Eligibility The Career Pathways Exploration (CPE) grant program provides competitive grants to States to build their capacity to integrate career exploration into statewide career pathways and workforce readiness programs.

FY 2026 CPE Grant Program Competition On May 7, 2026 the U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of $44 million in funding to support the CPE grant program, which will help ensure access to opportunities that expose K-12 students to real-life workforce realities through a variety of career pathway programs that are aligned with State priorities.

The closing date for receipt of applications was June 9, 2026, and awards were issued on August 31, 2026. Associated Federal Register Notice The competition announcement soliciting applications for the FY 2026 CPE grant program was published in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Education on 05/12/2026. The FY 2026 Career Pathways Exploration Grant Program Application Notice and Instructions were published on Grants.

gov on May 7, 2026. The deadline for submission of a grant application under this competition was 11:59:59 p. m.

Eastern Time (ET) on June 9, 2026. Associated Federal Register Notice The competition announcement soliciting applications for the FY 2026 CPE grant program was published in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Education on 05/12/2026.

Pre-Application Presentation The Technical Assistance for Prospective Applicants presentation provides information on the competition and completing the application: Watch the recorded presentation FY 2026 Career Pathways Exploration Program (84. 424J) Prospective Applicant Presentation Slides FY 2026 Career Pathways Exploration Program (84.

424J) Prospective Applicant Presentation Transcript Application Package and Submission CPE Application Package : Please note this is an electronic copy for you to download and use as a guide only. Applications must be submitted electronically through the Grants. gov system .

Eligible applicants for this program are States (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(48) ). The governor must either apply, or identify, designate, or endorse one of the following entities to apply for this program: State educational agencies (as defined in 20 U.S.C.

7801(49) ) , State workforce development agencies, State vocational rehabilitation agencies, or Consortia of these entities, including the governor, as a group application under 34 CFR 75. 127-129 . Note: Only one application per State is permitted.

FY 2026 total grant award funding is estimated to be $44,000,000. Section 4103(a)(3) of title IV, part A of the ESEA ( 20 U.S.C. 7113 ).

The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75 , 77 , 79 , 81 , 82 , 84 , 97 , 98 , and 99 . The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of ED in 2 CFR part 3485.

The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200 , as adopted and amended as regulations of ED in 2 CFR part 3474. Florida will use its $6. 6 million award to expand its statewide career planning system by transforming the Xello platform into a virtual work-based learning ecosystem.

The project will deliver immersive virtual tours, professional interviews, and task simulations that increase access for rural and transportation-limited students. These experiences will expose learners to high-growth, high-wage sectors such as aerospace, life sciences, cybersecurity, energy, and agricultural technology.

Florida will integrate the virtual modules into middle-school career planning courses and align them with postsecondary and credentialing frameworks. Throughout the grant period, the State will embed new content into career and technical education programs and apprenticeship pathways while ensuring that students and districts can access the material at no ongoing cost. Idaho will use its $4.

79 million award to build the Idaho Learner Readiness Ecosystem, a statewide initiative that strengthens career exploration, workforce readiness, and career-connected learning. The State will develop the Idaho Learner Readiness Portal to help students document their experiences, validate their competencies, and create Learner Readiness Records (LERs) that support future opportunities.

Idaho will implement a unified K–12 readiness framework that connects education, workforce, postsecondary, and community partners. The project will expand educator capacity to support competency-based learning and align existing resources into a cohesive statewide system.

Over the grant period, Idaho will increase access to readiness experiences—especially in rural communities—and build infrastructure that can integrate with future LER and talent‑marketplace technologies. Maryland will use its $9 million award to build a statewide career exploration system anchored in a State-owned platform.

One of the project’s goals is to develop personalized 6-year plans for every student in grades 7–12, stored in structured learner wallets. Additionally, the State will expand work-based learning through internships, employer-driven capstones, school-based enterprises, and registered apprenticeships.

Maryland will invest in learner wallets, skills-translation tools, and data systems that connect student records to its emerging Learning and Employment Record (LER) and statewide talent marketplace. More than half of the funding will flow directly to school districts to support local implementation, with all districts participating in the career exploration system by the third year of the grant.

Throughout the grant period, Maryland will increase access to portable learner wallets and strengthen the foundation for a fully connected statewide LER ecosystem. New Mexico will use its $8. 95 million award to expand career exploration for students in grades 6–12 and connect those experiences to statewide career pathways and workforce readiness programs.

The project will enhance middle-school curricula, develop Roadmaps to Careers that outline the sequence of coursework and experiences that support the transition to college and the workforce, and increase cross-disciplinary, career-connected learning.

New Mexico will strengthen workforce readiness by expanding apprenticeship opportunities, embedding labor market information into instruction, expanding career-infused math pathways, and introducing new financial literacy options. The State will also advance its national Career Connected Learning Educator Certification and broaden virtual mentorship opportunities for rural students.

Ongoing updates to the New Mexico Career Technical Education (Resource Hub will support consistent statewide implementation and provide all students with access to aligned, demand-driven career exploration. Ohio will use its $9 million award to implement the Career Connections Framework (Framework) in 10 pilot districts and build statewide tools that improve career-connected learning.

The project will create a structured K–12 advising and exploration system that helps students prepare for future employment and addresses long-term workforce needs. Pilot districts will implement Ohio’s revised Framework while the State develops statewide resources, including a centralized dashboard to track participation, measure outcomes, and inform future expansion.

The award will strengthen coordination among schools, workforce agencies, postsecondary institutions, and employers. Over the grant period, Ohio will also enhance its AI-enabled Portfolio platform to help students document their skills and connect those skills to emerging job pathways.

The Career Pathways Exploration (CPE) grant program provides competitive grants to States to build their capacity to integrate career exploration into statewide career pathways and workforce readiness programs.

FY 2026 CPE Grant Program Competition On May 7, 2026 the U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of $44 million in funding to support the CPE grant program, which will help ensure access to opportunities that expose K-12 students to real-life workforce realities through a variety of career pathway programs that are aligned with State priorities.

The closing date for receipt of applications was June 9, 2026, and awards were issued on August 31, 2026. Associated Federal Register Notice The competition announcement soliciting applications for the FY 2026 CPE grant program was published in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Education on 05/12/2026.

Applicant Info and Eligibility The FY 2026 Career Pathways Exploration Grant Program Application Notice and Instructions were published on Grants. gov on May 7, 2026. The deadline for submission of a grant application under this competition was 11:59:59 p.

m. Eastern Time (ET) on June 9, 2026. Associated Federal Register Notice The competition announcement soliciting applications for the FY 2026 CPE grant program was published in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Education on 05/12/2026.

Pre-Application Presentation The Technical Assistance for Prospective Applicants presentation provides information on the competition and completing the application: Watch the recorded presentation FY 2026 Career Pathways Exploration Program (84. 424J) Prospective Applicant Presentation Slides FY 2026 Career Pathways Exploration Program (84.

424J) Prospective Applicant Presentation Transcript Application Package and Submission CPE Application Package : Please note this is an electronic copy for you to download and use as a guide only. Applications must be submitted electronically through the Grants. gov system .

Eligible applicants for this program are States (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(48) ). The governor must either apply, or identify, designate, or endorse one of the following entities to apply for this program: State educational agencies (as defined in 20 U.S.C.

7801(49) ) , State workforce development agencies, State vocational rehabilitation agencies, or Consortia of these entities, including the governor, as a group application under 34 CFR 75. 127-129 . Note: Only one application per State is permitted.

FY 2026 total grant award funding is estimated to be $44,000,000. Section 4103(a)(3) of title IV, part A of the ESEA ( 20 U.S.C. 7113 ).

The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75 , 77 , 79 , 81 , 82 , 84 , 97 , 98 , and 99 . The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of ED in 2 CFR part 3485.

The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200 , as adopted and amended as regulations of ED in 2 CFR part 3474. Florida will use its $6. 6 million award to expand its statewide career planning system by transforming the Xello platform into a virtual work-based learning ecosystem.

The project will deliver immersive virtual tours, professional interviews, and task simulations that increase access for rural and transportation-limited students. These experiences will expose learners to high-growth, high-wage sectors such as aerospace, life sciences, cybersecurity, energy, and agricultural technology.

Florida will integrate the virtual modules into middle-school career planning courses and align them with postsecondary and credentialing frameworks. Throughout the grant period, the State will embed new content into career and technical education programs and apprenticeship pathways while ensuring that students and districts can access the material at no ongoing cost. Idaho will use its $4.

79 million award to build the Idaho Learner Readiness Ecosystem, a statewide initiative that strengthens career exploration, workforce readiness, and career-connected learning. The State will develop the Idaho Learner Readiness Portal to help students document their experiences, validate their competencies, and create Learner Readiness Records (LERs) that support future opportunities.

Idaho will implement a unified K–12 readiness framework that connects education, workforce, postsecondary, and community partners. The project will expand educator capacity to support competency-based learning and align existing resources into a cohesive statewide system.

Over the grant period, Idaho will increase access to readiness experiences—especially in rural communities—and build infrastructure that can integrate with future LER and talent‑marketplace technologies. Maryland will use its $9 million award to build a statewide career exploration system anchored in a State-owned platform.

One of the project’s goals is to develop personalized 6-year plans for every student in grades 7–12, stored in structured learner wallets. Additionally, the State will expand work-based learning through internships, employer-driven capstones, school-based enterprises, and registered apprenticeships.

Maryland will invest in learner wallets, skills-translation tools, and data systems that connect student records to its emerging Learning and Employment Record (LER) and statewide talent marketplace. More than half of the funding will flow directly to school districts to support local implementation, with all districts participating in the career exploration system by the third year of the grant.

Throughout the grant period, Maryland will increase access to portable learner wallets and strengthen the foundation for a fully connected statewide LER ecosystem. New Mexico will use its $8. 95 million award to expand career exploration for students in grades 6–12 and connect those experiences to statewide career pathways and workforce readiness programs.

The project will enhance middle-school curricula, develop Roadmaps to Careers that outline the sequence of coursework and experiences that support the transition to college and the workforce, and increase cross-disciplinary, career-connected learning.

New Mexico will strengthen workforce readiness by expanding apprenticeship opportunities, embedding labor market information into instruction, expanding career-infused math pathways, and introducing new financial literacy options. The State will also advance its national Career Connected Learning Educator Certification and broaden virtual mentorship opportunities for rural students.

Ongoing updates to the New Mexico Career Technical Education (Resource Hub will support consistent statewide implementation and provide all students with access to aligned, demand-driven career exploration. Ohio will use its $9 million award to implement the Career Connections Framework (Framework) in 10 pilot districts and build statewide tools that improve career-connected learning.

The project will create a structured K–12 advising and exploration system that helps students prepare for future employment and addresses long-term workforce needs. Pilot districts will implement Ohio’s revised Framework while the State develops statewide resources, including a centralized dashboard to track participation, measure outcomes, and inform future expansion.

The award will strengthen coordination among schools, workforce agencies, postsecondary institutions, and employers. Over the grant period, Ohio will also enhance its AI-enabled Portfolio platform to help students document their skills and connect those skills to emerging job pathways. Grant Applicants / Grantees Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) Page Last Reviewed: September 1, 2026