Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Colorado P-Tech Project Off the Ground

  • 09/08/15

Denver, CO – Earlier this month, the Colorado Department of Higher Education, along with the Colorado Department of Education, rolled out guidelines for how to start a “Pathways in Technology Early College High School” (P-TECH) in Colorado.

P-TECH schools are public six-year high schools where students can attain an industry-recognized associate degree, as well as a high school diploma. The schools are operated as a partnership between a school district, community college and an employer in a high-growth industry, and offer an education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses.

The schools must provide students with mentoring, internship, pre-apprenticeship and other workplace educational experiences.

“I’m excited to see us moving forward on P-TECH,” says Crisanta Duran, majority leader for the Colorado House of Representatives and sponsor of the legislation to create the P-TECH program. “P-TECH schools will provide students with an education that's explicitly designed to connect them with good-paying jobs in the science, technology, engineering and math fields.”

By 2020, approximately 74 percent of jobs in Colorado will require a postsecondary credential.

“One goal behind P-TECH schools is to provide a direct pipeline from studying to working and earning a living wage,” says Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia, executive director of Colorado Department of Higher Education. “Colorado is fortunate to have a number of innovative businesses that are hungry for talented workers, and P-TECH schools will help fulfill workforce needs.”

The Colorado Department of Higher Education and the Colorado Department of Education will jointly approve new P-TECH schools in Colorado.

The P-TECH model started in Brooklyn with a partnership between New York City Public Schools, City University of New York, and IBM. Now there are numerous P-TECH schools in New York, Connecticut, and Illinois, and by 2016 there will be an estimated 100 P-TECH schools.

Featured

  • AAADM Announces Building Safety Month Initiatives

    The American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM) recently announced its support of Building Safety Month as declared by the International Code Council (ICC), according to a news release.

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.

  • CU-Lock Haven Receives $1.75M Gift for New Entrepreneurship, Media Center

    Commonwealth University-Lock Haven in Lock Haven, Penn., recently received a $1.75-million donation from entrepreneur and alumnus Nicholas Subich ’17, according to a university news release. The funds will go toward establishing the Nicholas Subich Center for Entrepreneurship and Media, a technology-driven hub for innovation and experiential learning.

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.