WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor have opened two federal grant competitions aimed at expanding career-focused education programs and teacher training aligned with workforce development priorities.
The fiscal year 2026 competitions include a new Career Pathways Exploration program and an updated Teacher Quality Partnership program, both structured around broader administration efforts to connect K-12 education with labor market needs and vocational training.
Federal officials described the grants as part of an interagency initiative intended to integrate career readiness, apprenticeship programs, and teacher preparation into state and local education systems.
The new Career Pathways Exploration program will use Student Support and Academic Enrichment funding to help states expand career exploration programs tied to workforce readiness initiatives and state economic priorities.
According to the Education Department, the grants are designed to expose students to career pathways and employment opportunities through hands-on and work-based learning models.
The Teacher Quality Partnership competition will continue supporting teacher preparation and professional development programs while incorporating priorities tied to literacy instruction, workforce readiness, and apprenticeship-based educator training.
Assistant Secretary of Education Kirsten Baesler said the administration is seeking to strengthen both the teacher pipeline and career-focused learning opportunities for students.
“The grants will encourage greater integration of career pathways into education and enhance the recruitment of our next generation of teachers,” Baesler said in a statement.
Assistant Secretary of Labor Henry Mack linked the initiative to broader workforce and industrial policy goals.
“The purpose of education in our system of government is twofold: to cultivate virtuous citizens and a skilled workforce,” Mack said in a statement.
The departments stated that the programs are part of a growing partnership between Education and Labor intended to streamline grant administration and align workforce and education policy.
According to the Education Department, the administration has now established 10 interagency agreements involving five federal agencies as part of a broader effort to shift education oversight and implementation responsibilities toward states.
Under the partnership, the Labor Department will help administer grant funds, provide technical assistance, and coordinate workforce-readiness programming connected to the education grants.
Additional details about the grant competitions are available through Grants.gov.
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