Rural schools educate 20% of America’s students, but the vast majority of education resources and innovation are focused in urban areas.
We start with schools, but we don’t stop there
Collegiate Edu-Nation is a non-profit organization engaging whole communities to reinvigorate education, revitalize local economies, and reimagine what’s possible for rural America. We’re preparing rural communities to connect and thrive in a fast-moving future.
CEN currently serves 35,000+ students in 44 independent school districts and growing nationwide.
We plan to expand to 60 districts by 2026.
the CEN student experience…
%
will complete an associate degree by grade 12
%
will complete a bachelor's degree
%
will complete a postgraduate degree or certification
Supporting students, families, districts & communities
to end education and income inequality
Students & Families
college & career focus
Young people deserve real choices when it comes to where they live and how they work. We prepare students for college and career success, increasing their earning potential and expanding their options.
Superintendents & teachers
educator development
Small-town educators are passionate about improving outcomes for their students. We help districts access and navigate resources for dual credit programs, work & project-based learning, 1:1 student support, and more.
Businesses & Communities
educational attainment
We connect talented young people to local industries through place-based research and work-based learning, strengthening the bond between communities and schools and creating new pathways for rural economic growth.
Our Method
P-20 Model for 21st Century School Transformation
CEN promotes the P-20 Model for 21st Century School Transformation which focuses on heightened college and career aspirations through continuous educational attainment and industry-related certifications. We believe a mindset of high aspirations and high expectations on those fronts leads naturally to lifetimes of happiness, productivity, and success. We take a comprehensive approach to education, engaging whole communities in an effort that continues from the first day of Pre-K to the launch of a meaningful career.
In the News
DISTRACTION
We have limited time, limited energy, limited resources, limited bandwidth, and limited attention. There are a bazillion things and many people (10s? 100s? 1000s?) that compete for our time, energy, resources, bandwidth, and attention. We get to decide what's...
InquiryGurus
Some of the smartest people I know play dumb a lot. They steadily pitch questions at us that make us think. Then those crafty characters glean the collective wisdom that comes out of the responses to their powerful questions. Here are some things I've noticed in the...
DemandModel
The teams I have worked with over the years have likely grown weary of hearing this steady admonition from me: "If we can't model it, we can't demand it." As I think about that declaration -- while looking in my own metaphorical mirror -- several dimensions of this...
DISTRACTION
We have limited time, limited energy, limited resources, limited bandwidth, and limited attention. There are a bazillion things and many people (10s? 100s? 1000s?) that compete for our time, energy, resources, bandwidth, and attention. We get to decide what's...
InquiryGurus
Some of the smartest people I know play dumb a lot. They steadily pitch questions at us that make us think. Then those crafty characters glean the collective wisdom that comes out of the responses to their powerful questions. Here are some things I've noticed in the...
DemandModel
The teams I have worked with over the years have likely grown weary of hearing this steady admonition from me: "If we can't model it, we can't demand it." As I think about that declaration -- while looking in my own metaphorical mirror -- several dimensions of this...
PresencePower
We sometimes get so busy being productive that we forget to be present. There is tremendous power in being present, fully present. Here are some of the things that manifest, and are perceived as, presence: Non-distracted eye contact. Interest in the person, not just...
CEN ANNUAL REPORT
Explore a year of CEN's impactful achievements and innovations in our 2025 Annual Report.
WHITE PAPER: PLACE BASED EDUCATION
Check out our most recent White Paper: Fostering Rural Potential in Texas - A Place Based Approach to Education, Workforce Development and Community-Centered Growth
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