Supporting Centennial BOCES to Implement Project READY
Centennial BOCES (CBOCES), home to the state’s largest Migrant Education Program, provides educational services and opportunities to school districts across northern Colorado to support both small and large school districts in partnering on innovation. With funding support from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Funds (RISE) and implementation support from the Colorado Lab, CBOCES is addressing many of the pandemic-caused education, economic, social, and health challenges that have affected so many students, families, schools, and districts, especially in rural communities.
Through the creation of Project READY (Resources for Education and Development for Youth), CBOCES is taking a community-based, comprehensive response to building extended learning opportunities for migrant families. Their approach consists of three interconnected initiatives born out of community needs and centered on forming connections:
- READY for Technology partners with the Immigrant and Refugee Center of Northern Colorado to provide hot spots, computers, and training on technology skills and English language development to families in some of the most remote parts of northern Colorado where reliable internet access is limited.
- READY for School prepares immigrant and migrant children and their parents to be “preschool ready.” Graduate students at the University of Northern Colorado facilitate sessions to build early literacy skills among young children and families, and build parent-self efficacy among parents and guardians.
- READY for Graduation pairs first generation Colorado State University students with K-12 students in the Migrant Education Program to provide near-peer mentoring and social-emotional support across schools in northern Colorado, preparing young students to be ‘ready’ for college and career.
- READY for Graduation pairs first generation Colorado State University students with K-12 students in the Migrant Education Program to provide near-peer mentoring and social-emotional support across schools in northern Colorado, preparing young students to be ‘ready’ for college and career.
The Colorado Lab supports CBOCES to sustain implementation of these efforts, including:
- identifying key program elements and intended outcomes,
- developing tools for data collection,
- identifying and troubleshooting barriers to implementation,
- integrating lessons learned into next steps, and
- examining data to make meaning of progress and celebrate successes.
CBOCES and the Colorado Lab are co-developing a brief on the processes and strategies used to cultivate effective community partnerships, highlighting the model of Project READY to bring together migrant education programs and local organizations to build robust programs that serve the community. A guide is also being co-developed, featuring an “organizing framework” to support ongoing implementation for the READY for School program. These resources and lessons learned through this innovative approach will be shared with stakeholders across the state later this year.
If you have questions, please contact Dr. Lauren Gase to learn more.