Edu-Reach

Rural Education Achievement for Community Hope

Years 13-20

About EDU-REACH

Mission Statement:

To empower rural communities by providing innovative educational pathways and career training that enhance workforce development and career opportunities for underserved adult learners.

Vision Statement:

A future where every individual in rural areas has access to transformative education and employment opportunities, fostering community resilience and economic prosperity.

As a P-20 System Model, CEN is committed to supporting students from Pre-K through Year 20. The Edu-REACH program recognizes the critical importance of nurturing talent within rural communities. By offering local, adult students the opportunity to pursue degrees and certifications without the burden of relocation, Edu-REACH seeks to bridge the educational gap that many rural communities encounter. The project bolsters local economies by ensuring that students can access relevant post-secondary education and apprenticeships in their respective communities.
Through the Edu-REACH initiative, we envision a future where non-traditional, rural students have the resources, support, and opportunities needed to thrive in their local communities. Adults of rural Texas interested in attending a post-secondary institution for the first time, those returning, and/or joining a Registered Apprenticeship Program can contact Brittany Williams at bwilliams@edu-nation.org.

YEARS 13-14

Program Admittance Process

Teach Where it Matters

Teacher Apprenticeships

CEN’s “Teach Where It Matters” initiative, a collaborative effort with West Texas A&M, strategically addresses the acute teacher shortage in rural Texas. The initiative focuses on growing local talent by recruiting a diverse pool of participants, offering benefits and thorough training for teacher certification.

Funded by CEN’s AmeriCorps grant, the initiative supports various components like work-based learning internships, mentor teacher training, college and career advising, alongside CEN’s Registered Apprenticeship P-20 Teacher Program, providing a flexible, supportive path to certification and shaping a sustainable future for rural P-20 education in Texas.

Revolutionizing Rural Education:The Edu-Teach Initiative Reshaping Texas Classrooms.

CEN Partnered with:

Big Country Rural Healthcare Hub

Healthcare Apprenticeships

Transforming Rural Healthcare

The Big Country Rural Healthcare Hub, powered by CEN, revolutionizes healthcare accessibility in rural communities by supporting individuals pursuing nursing certifications or degrees. Through partnerships with five healthcare facilities, this initiative offers education, clinical experiences, and mentorship tailored to aspiring nurses at every stage of their journey. Whether you’re starting fresh or advancing your career, this program provides the tools to make a lasting impact in rural healthcare.

Our Big Country Rural Healthcare Hub Lunch-N-Learn event with The University of Texas at Arlington and Cisco College was a huge success!

Municipal Action Cohort

The City of Abilene, in a significant move to bridge the educational and career achievement gaps within its adult population, announces a pioneering partnership with Collegiate Edu-Nation (CEN) to lead the expansion of the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) and introduce the Edu-REACH initiative (Rural Education Achievement for Community Hope).

The Municipal Action Cohort is part of a new peer-learning initiative led by the National League of Cities (NLC) and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), designed to fast-track the efforts of municipalities in developing robust systems to connect adults to postsecondary educational opportunities leading to rewarding careers.