How Colorado Is Building Access to College Credit, Credentials, and Work-Based Learning for Every Student
Published by the Homegrown Talent Coalition, From Promise to Progress is the Coalition’s follow-up to its February 2025 launch report. It takes stock of Colorado’s progress toward the Big Three vision: that every Colorado high school student has access to, and attains at least one of, an in-demand industry credential, college credit aligned to a postsecondary pathway, and a high-quality work-based learning experience.
Empower Schools is a member of the Homegrown Talent Coalition, which brings together organizations across Colorado working at the intersection of education, workforce, and policy.
In this resource:
What the Coalition committed to when it launched, what it has accomplished, what it has learned, and how its priorities have evolved
How Colorado has built state systems that support the Big Three, including new funding and implementation supports, the first statewide Pathways Report, and an update to the K-12 accountability framework that is now underway
Where continued attention is needed, including consistent statewide data on student access, participation, and attainment, which is still emerging
What a new governor and General Assembly in 2027 will need to know about the work underway
The role each partner can play in sustaining progress, from Coalition members and funders to state agencies and the next administration
Best for: State and district leaders, policymakers and incoming state leaders, school and program leaders, employers, workforce partners, funders, and organizations working to expand college and career pathways in Colorado.
