Our Holiday Wish: Bring on the Collaboration
Collaboration Matters | A Reflection on the 2024-25 School Year So Far
In this Story
Rural Collaboratives help communities share resources and create opportunities that individual districts may not have the capacity to offer independently.
Partnerships among K-12 education, higher education, workforce development, and industry expand college and career pathways.
Students can access work-based learning, college credit, and industry-recognized credentials.
Supportive policies and sustainable funding are critical to strengthening this work.
Rural communities face unique challenges, including:
Limited educational resources
Fewer industry partners and career-connected learning opportunities
Yet, through collaboration, communities across Colorado are creating breakthrough opportunities for students.
At the beginning of the school year, the Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative completed its third Behind the Drywall program, a paid, weeklong summer experience where students participate in industry-led programming focused on HVAC, plumbing, and electrical skills. These are areas that regional districts do not have the capacity or equipment to teach independently.
One student shared, “The mentors showed me that anyone can go into the trades and be successful.”
These kinds of opportunities are happening regularly throughout the school year through Rural Collaboratives like the Fremont Multi-District Initiative and the Western Slope Schools Career Collaborative.
Students gain hands-on experience in high-demand fields while employers help cultivate local talent. By bringing together K-12 education, workforce development, industry, and higher education, communities can expand access to college and career pathways that include:
Work-based learning opportunities across the work-based learning continuum
Concurrent enrollment and college credit
Industry-recognized credentials
Rural Collaboratives like FMI and WSSCC are lifelines for communities seeking strong educational and economic outcomes, but they are not the only places where collaboration is proving crucial.
This year, we teamed up with the Colorado Education Initiative, Colorado Succeeds, and Lyra Colorado to host rural-track sessions at The Attainment Network’s Pathways Conference. Throughout the conference, cross-sector collaboration emerged as a critical component of developing high-quality career pathways.
Throughout the fall, we engaged with communities across Colorado. From school visits to conferences, we heard over and over again about the importance of collaboration
Turning Insights into Policy Action for 2025
During the 2025 legislative session, Empower Schools Colorado will advocate for policy shifts that uplift rural districts and expand opportunities for students statewide:
Incentivize workforce readiness. Recognize rural districts’ efforts through postsecondary measures such as industry credentials and work-based learning.
Streamline college and career pathway programs. Ensure programs are aligned, accessible, and impactful.
Secure sustainable funding. Provide startup and ongoing funding to establish and strengthen opportunities for students.
Rural Collaboratives are poised to help small and rural districts implement high-quality pathways leading to in-demand, high-wage careers.
Looking Ahead to Stronger Pathways
As we look to the second half of the school year, we are inspired by the partnerships strengthened, lessons learned, and visions shared in the communities we serve.
We are thrilled to spread collaboration through new programs like 2025’s Innovate Pikes Peak, Empower’s first Colorado collaborative led by industry and community partners outside a rural setting.
Together, we will continue to:
Build inclusive pathways that prepare students for college, careers, and lifelong success.
Advocate for policy shifts that recognize and reward the critical work rural districts have pursued for years.
Policy Action for 2025: Turning Insights into Action
This spring, we’re turning the lessons learned into meaningful action. During the 2025 legislative session, Empower Schools Colorado will advocate for bold policy shifts that uplift rural districts and expand opportunities for students statewide:
Incentivizing workforce readiness: Recognizing rural districts’ efforts through post-secondary measures like industry credentials and work-based learning.
Streamlining college and career pathway programs: Ensuring programs are aligned, accessible, and impactful.
Securing sustainable funding: Allocating both startup and ongoing funding to establish and strengthen opportunities for students.
Rural and multi-district collaboratives are poised to help small and rural districts implement high-quality pathways leading to in-demand, high-wage careers.
Let’s Shape the Future Together
Empowering students and communities requires collaboration, innovation, and action. Whether it is a student earning a certification or a school district seeing new career opportunities emerge, the work we do together makes a difference.
Let’s continue building brighter futures together.
Contact Empower Schools to learn about opportunities to collaborate in your region.
Learn More
Explore Elevating Rural Colorado to learn how regional partnerships have expanded education and economic opportunity across the state.
Read Colorado Rural Collaboratives: Catalyzing Career Pathways with Regional Intermediaries for practical guidance on building and sustaining regional pathways.
Learn more about Empower Schools’ Rural Innovation work.
