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
PerfectionDereliction
Perfection...... isn't. Not possible. Can't get there. Pipe dream. Pure dereliction. What we can do is get better. Every day. On purpose. That better state, however, is not the result of wishing. It happens only when we think carefully about... WHAT we're doing, WHY...
OfficeAllergy
The wisest leaders I have observed somehow manage to be in their office minimally. Instead, they continually move about the various work spaces of the organization. It's almost as if they're allergic to the office. There is method to that madness, it seems. Some of...
BUY(ing)IN
We often refer to the gaining of support as BUY-IN. Too often that phrase is thought of in the past tense, as if it's already in the books, a done deal, a ship sailed. Not so. The work of gaining and maintaining BUY-IN is an ongoing process, not an event. Masters at...
PerfectionDereliction
Perfection...... isn't. Not possible. Can't get there. Pipe dream. Pure dereliction. What we can do is get better. Every day. On purpose. That better state, however, is not the result of wishing. It happens only when we think carefully about... WHAT we're doing, WHY...
OfficeAllergy
The wisest leaders I have observed somehow manage to be in their office minimally. Instead, they continually move about the various work spaces of the organization. It's almost as if they're allergic to the office. There is method to that madness, it seems. Some of...
BUY(ing)IN
We often refer to the gaining of support as BUY-IN. Too often that phrase is thought of in the past tense, as if it's already in the books, a done deal, a ship sailed. Not so. The work of gaining and maintaining BUY-IN is an ongoing process, not an event. Masters at...
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...
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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