Our Story

Founded in 2019, the Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative unites eight school districts—Archuleta, Bayfield, Durango, Ignacio, and Silverton—with Pueblo Community College and Fort Lewis College to expand educational opportunities across the region. Our Collaborative is dedicated to creating capacity for our member districts and partners to strengthen and create college and career pathways accessible to every student, regardless of their district.

By fostering deeper partnerships and sharing resources, we tackle common challenges while respecting each district's unique identity. Our students benefit from culturally responsive programs, new career opportunities, targeted job training, and the chance to earn college credit.

Through this collaboration, we ensure that schools, local employers, and higher education institutions work together to create a sustainable future. Students graduate better prepared, employers gain job-ready candidates, and colleges build stronger connections with prospective students.

41bR.jpeg
 

Demographic

The ~ 9,000 K-12 students and 2,785 high school students in our region are diverse and under-resourced (46% of all students experience a higher-than-average rate of poverty).

The Southwest is home to nearly 10% of the state’s Native American population, making up 11% of the region’s student population as a whole. The Collaborative shares borders with several Sovereign Tribal Nations, including the Navajo Nation, Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and the Jicarilla Apache Nation. Fort Lewis College is the most diverse public liberal arts college in the nation, serving a student body comprised of 53% students of color and over 40% Native American students (the largest percentage of Native American students served nationally by any non-tribal institution).

 

Funding

In early 2021, the Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative was established as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. In addition to providing increased capacity to implement programming and facilitate collaboration, the nonprofit will ensure representation and buy-in from key stakeholders, assess and improve programming that allows for tighter linkages between K12 and higher education, and raise additional capital.

In November 2020, the Collaborative was awarded $3.6 million to support the efforts mentioned above and build stronger educational pathways for students interested in building trades and environmental sciences.

 
rocky-mountains-1710807_1920.jpg