Rural roots
The CEN Story
"CEN was founded because we believe in the potential of every single young person to achieve a life of choice and impact."
-Dr. Kim Alexander, Founder
CEN was founded by Dr. Kim Alexander and Marsha Alexander to break cycles of generational poverty in rural Texas. Roscoe Collegiate ISD (RCISD) was the first CEN district; since then, CEN has expanded to serve over 4,000 kids in 7 districts.
- 2001: Roscoe ISD partners with West Texas College to begin a dual credit program
- 2009: RCISD becomes the first Early College High School (ECHS) in rural Texas
- 2013: RCISD earns T-STEM designation from the TEA to develop a project-based learning environment for STEM
- 2017: RCISD becomes the first rural school wide PTECH academy
- 2019: CEN is formed to scale the success of RCISD in Texas and beyond
- 2019: Cohort 1: Hamlin and Throckmorton Collegiate ISD’s join Roscoe Collegiate ISD as the first schools in the CEN network
- 2020: Cohort 2: Cumby and Floydada Collegiate ISD’s join the CEN network
- 2021: Cohort 3: Iraan-Sheffield, Lytle and Sunray ISD’s join the CEN network
- CEN is recognized by TEA as a School Action Fund Technical Assistance Provider
- 2022: Cohort 4: Banquete, Bellville, Colorado, Freer, Hico, Spurger, Venus ISD’s join the CEN network
- CEN is Recognized by TEA as a P-TECH Technical Assistance Provide
- CEN provides P-TECH technical assistance to Diboll, Hartley, Rankin, and Taft ISD’s
- CEN launches the Rural Hope Fundraising Campaign
