“Rural communities have to decide: invest deeply in one pathway and serve a few students, or offer many options but none that lead to a credential of value... We design rural collaboratives to break down those barriers and expand access to high-quality pathways and real choice.”
-Alyssa Morton, Empower Schools CEO and Partner
WATCH NOW
The 74 and the Progressive Policy Institute host a special conversation featuring Empower Schools CEO and Partner Alyssa Morton.
This webinar delves into how rural collaboratives can transform life trajectories for rural high school students and create sustainable economic development for their communities. Hosted by Tressa Pankovitz with special insights from Mike Gonzalez of the Rural Schools Innovation Zone, the conversation includes Texas State Rep. Brad Buckley, Colorado State Rep. Eliza Hamrick.
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Rural districts are creating stronger college and career pathways by working together. Alyssa Morton looks at new research on regional collaboratives and Texas’s latest R-PEP grants, showing how state policy, funding, and implementation support can help locally designed partnerships grow.
Morton and Rhine: States should use the new federal dollars to build a healthcare talent pipeline for rural communities, starting in high school.
High schoolers travel to districts up to an hour away to attend academies in welding, teaching, nursing, robotics — and earn college credit.
Empower Schools is proud to announce a $750,000 grant from Greater Texas Foundation to support the expansion of Rural Pathway Excellence Partnerships (R-PEP) to three additional regions: Region 14, Region 1, and Region 16, and support broader efforts to spread the rural collaborative model.
A conversation with Randolph, IN Superintendent Neal Adams on building successful, innovative rural school communities, including a "grow your own" teacher program, and healthcare industry apprenticeships. Taped live at ASU+GSV 2025 and hosted by CER's Caroline Allen.
Featuring Empower Schools Director, PBS Michiana discusses ommunities, schools, and businesses reshaping partnerships amidst an ever-changing education landscape.