DENVER EDUCATION ATTAINMENT NETWORK

CLEAR PATHS. BRIGHT FUTURES.

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The Denver Education Attainment Network (DEAN) ignites and accelerates systems change, connecting stakeholders and driving collaboration to build an education-to-career system that works better for all learners, with a focus on learners who have historically and presently been excluded from high-value career pathways.

Colorado has one of the largest postsecondary attainment gaps in the country. Almost all high-growth, high-demand jobs that pay a living wage for a family of three require some type of postsecondary education. Economic disparities persist for lower-income Coloradans, and particularly people of color, who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Creating opportunity for all requires a new approach to educating, cultivating, recruiting and retaining talent.

DEAN is at the forefront of the work to link education to better jobs for more Colorado learners. DEAN coordinates cross-institutional and cross-agency work to ensure access to and completion of educational experiences that help Colorado’s learners gain the skills, knowledge and connections to prepare them for lifelong success.

DEAN uses the term “college” to refer to postsecondary attainment of any type of credential beyond high school, including technical and non-technical certificates and 2-year and 4-year degrees.

Almost all high-growth, high-demand jobs that pay a living wage for a family require some type of postsecondary education.

Act!on Youth
Our Goal: Increase post-secondary attainment for students
  • Dramatically increase the number and diversity of learners who complete credentials that lead to good jobs​
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  • Forge a national model for closing equity gaps and increasing postsecondary attainment resulting in family-living wage employment​
Increase college enrollment by 14%

+ 14% COLLEGE ENROLLMENT

Increase college enrollment of students from Denver Public Schools (DPS) to 60 percent compared to 46 percent baseline in 2014-2015 (by 2025)

Increase Denver Public Schools persistence rates at Auraria Campus by 5%

+ 5% DPS PERSISTENCE AT THE AURARIA CAMPUS

69 percent of DPS graduates at the Auraria Campus will persist from year-one to year-two compared to 64 percent baseline in 2014-2015 (3-year goal)

Increase Auraria Campus completion rates by 9%

+ 9% AURARIA CAMPUS COMPLETION RATES

15 percent of DPS graduates on the Auraria Campus will earn a certificate, associate’s degree or baccalaureate degree within four years compared to 6 percent baseline in 2014-2015 (4-year goal)

Increase Emily Griffith Technical College completion rates by 6%

+ 6% EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE COMPLETION RATES

50 percent of DPS students who enroll in an Emily Griffith Technical College certificate program will earn a certificate compared to 44 percent baseline in 2014-2015 (4-year goal)

Why: A largely low-income district with the highest minority demographic groups negatively impact attainment gap
  • Founded in 2014 to address persistent equity gaps in educational attainment​
  • Brings together partners to align on common strategies, remove barriers and drive systems change​
  • Addresses lower enrollment, persistence and completion rates that limit economic opportunity for under-represented learners ​
How: DEAN's partnerships develop a persistence and completion strategy to serve students

DEAN is aligning partners in new ways to strengthen our regional and state talent pipeline.

DEAN partners with Denver Public Schools, the Auraria Campus (Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver and University of Colorado Denver), Emily Griffith Technical College, state agencies (Colorado Departments of Education and Higher Education, Colorado Community College System and Colorado Workforce Development Council), the City and County of Denver as well as non-profit and corporate partners, to develop an education-to-workforce-strategy that leads to economic opportunity for all learners.