DENVER – Nov. 13, 2025: Today, Governor Polis and the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) announced $5.6 million in grant funding to implement Work Based Learning Experiences in Higher Education (HB 25-1186), a landmark initiative designed to strengthen educational pathways by integrating work based learning for students in rural and underserved communities across the state.
Ascendium Education Group has committed $5.5 million over three years, with an additional $100,000 one-year grant from Strada Education Foundation, to support the bill's mission of expanding access and opportunity at institutions serving rural and low-socioeconomic populations.
"This significant investment represents a major step forward in ensuring that every Colorado student has access to quality educational opportunities," said Governor Polis. "This legislation recognizes that our rural communities and the institutions that serve them are vital to Colorado's future, and this funding helps us turn that vision into reality."
House Bill 25-1186 was sponsored by Rep. Matthew Martinez, Rep. Meghan Lukens, Sen. Janice Rich and Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, and reflects a bipartisan commitment to addressing educational disparities in Colorado's rural communities.
The legislation with this funding is expected to:
- Create a statewide consortium to expand work based learning opportunities
- Remove financial barriers for students by authorizing state work study funds to cover credit-bearing work based learning opportunities
- Respond to persistent disparities in internship access
- Establish data collection metrics to measure impact
The multi-year funding structure allows for sustained program development and implementation, ensuring that rural-serving institutions have the resources needed to build lasting infrastructure and support systems for their students.
“Colorado's rural areas face unique challenges, including limited access to educational resources, economic opportunities and support services,” said Dr. Angie Paccione, executive director of CDHE. “Institutions serving these communities often operate with constrained budgets while serving populations with significant needs. These grants will provide critical support to help these institutions better serve their students.”
The grants will be managed by CDHE’s Office of Educational Equity, Workforce and Social Mobility. The office convenes the Equity Champions Coalition and manages the Social Determinants of Student Success and Workforce Determinants of Student Success, which designate campuses as Healthy Minds, Hunger Free and Career Connected.
The office also provides institutions with a First Generation-Serving Institution Designation, which establishes a designation for colleges and universities that enroll a higher-than-average number of first-generation students. The office is committed to promoting the public value of higher education and encouraging the public to direct funding in a way that mirrors the diversity in the state and erases racial, ethnic, income, and geographic equity gaps in Colorado.
"This funding will support talented students statewide in pursuing their education and career goals side by side—because they shouldn't have to choose one over the other," said CDHE Chief Educational Impact Officer, Dr. Gillian McKnight-Tutein. "We are grateful to Ascendium and Strada for recognizing the importance of this work and investing in Colorado's future. Their partnership demonstrates a shared dedication to educational equity and opportunity."
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