Synopsis

The Career Pathways Exploration (CPE) program supports efforts to provide elementary and secondary school students with increased career exploration opportunities that allow them to develop, expand, and prioritize the skills and knowledge needed to excel in high-demand fields. To support this goal, the CPE program provides competitive grants to States to build their capacity to integrate career exploration into statewide career pathways and workforce readiness programs. The CPE program will help ensure access to opportunities that expose students to real-life workforce realities through a variety of career pathways programs that are aligned with State workforce priorities.In support of returning education to the States, ED believes this program is uniquely suited for State applicants. State applicants, as designated or endorsed by the Governors, are best positioned to coordinate K-12 career exploration initiatives that integrate education, workforce, and economic development systems. The CPE program is designed to allow Governors, in coordination with State agencies and their local educational agencies (LEAs), to align career exploration opportunities for schools with real-time labor market needs to create statewide opportunities for students to explore careers early, scale access to learning and employment records (LERs) and talent marketplaces, and align with local workforce boards and system partners so students can act on the knowledge gained in a meaningful way.State applicants are encouraged to align proposed activities with the State"s Unified or Combined Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) State Plan to ensure coherence with broader workforce development strategies and labor market priorities.This program is being established with funds from the two percent reservation for technical assistance and capacity building under section 4103(a)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. § 6301 (ESEA), which is intended to support State educational agencies and LEAs in carrying out activities authorized under the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants program in title IV, part A of the ESEA through technical assistance and capacity building. Specifically, the CPE program is intended to help build the capacity of States and LEAs to provide well-rounded educational opportunities, consistent with the description of such opportunities in ESEA section 4107, through initiatives that make career pathways exploration programs broadly available to students. In support of this goal, grantees will share with other States and LEAs how career pathways exploration initiatives can be successfully implemented.
Response Date	Jun 09, 2026 12:00:00 AM EDT
Posting Date	May 07, 2026 12:00:00 AM EDT
Archive Date	Jul 09, 2026 12:00:00 AM EDT
Award Ceiling	9,000,000
Award Floor	N/a
Cost Sharing	No

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

State governments

Additional Info on Eligibility:

In accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1), we are establishing that in order to receive funds under this program, an applicant must be a State (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, orConsortia of these entities, including the governor, as a group application under 34 CFR 75.127-129.Note: Only one application per State is permitted.

Additional Information

Agency Name	Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Link to Additional Information:	https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-birth-grade-12/school-and-community-improvement-grants/career-pathways-exploration-grant-program-84424j
Grantor Contact Information:	If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact: GrantSolutions Help Desk Phone: 202-693-2606

CFDA Program(s)

• 84.424: Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program