Empowering Colorado's Youth: Bridging the Gap in Skills-Based Education
Updated: Sep 11
Colorado is witnessing a remarkable trend. High school students are increasingly enrolling in college-level courses. This surge indicates a strong desire among young people to acquire skills that lead to meaningful employment. According to a recent report highlighted by Chalkbeat Colorado, around 40% of community college enrollment now consists of high school students earning college credits. In fall 2025, over 40,000 Colorado high schoolers participated in dual enrollment, marking an increase of more than 3,000 from the previous year.
However, the same report emphasizes a crucial point: access alone isn’t enough.
Understanding the Challenges
Students in Colorado, particularly those from low-income families, encounter significant barriers that hinder their ability to fully benefit from these educational opportunities. Experts in the state acknowledge that no current model provides the wraparound support students need to succeed.
This is where BPI’s dual approach of scholarships + grants for wraparound services becomes essential.
The Growth of Dual Enrollment: Challenges Ahead
The report from the Community College Research Center warns that growth in dual enrollment does not automatically lead to quality or equitable outcomes. States, including Colorado, must rethink how they support students academically, financially, and in career planning.
Several challenges persist:
Funding gaps mean students often pay for books, materials, and fees, even in “low-cost” programs. For low-income families, these fees can be the difference between enrolling in a skills-based program or skipping it altogether.
Racial and socioeconomic disparities remain in who earns college credits through dual enrollment. Financially disadvantaged students are frequently overlooked in the push for college access.
Many students accumulate credits that don’t align with a clear career pathway, leading to what some describe as “random acts of dual enrollment.” Being educated does not equate to being skilled. Like many states, Colorado struggles to connect post-secondary education to actual employment outcomes in a timely manner, especially for low-income students.
Critically, no statewide model currently provides the wraparound support students need to navigate these programs successfully. Our local-to-local service model fosters personalized relationships, but the quality and access to critical services vary widely across the state, particularly in rural communities.
In essence, Colorado teens are being offered a door — but many still lack the resources to walk through it.
Why Scholarships Alone Aren’t Enough
At BPI, we’ve witnessed firsthand that financial aid is just one piece of the puzzle.
A scholarship may cover tuition, but it doesn’t address:
Transportation to campus and work
Childcare
Language support
Required tools, uniforms, or materials
Certification exam fees
Academic or career advising
Mentorship
Stability supports like food, housing, or mental health resources
For low-income students, any one of these areas can create an obstacle that feels insurmountable, derailing their education and access to the workforce.
The Chalkbeat article reinforces this reality: even with dual enrollment, students still face financial barriers and support gaps that limit their ability to complete courses, earn credentials, and transition into high-demand careers. Without wraparound services, many teens — especially those from low-income families — simply cannot take full advantage of the opportunities dual enrollment is meant to provide.
Wraparound Services: The Key to Economic Mobility
The report calls for states to strengthen academic, financial, and career advising and to ensure students earn credits that genuinely lead to jobs or degrees that matter. It also emphasizes the need for clear pathways, not just scattered and general college credits.
This aligns directly with BPI’s mission. Our grants to local nonprofits fund the very supports the report identifies as essential:
Skills-based credentials that translate to in-demand jobs
Mentorship and coaching
Transportation, tools, and materials
Work-based learning opportunities
Stability supports that keep students on track
These services ensure that students aren’t just enrolled — they’re equipped. They’re not merely earning credits — they’re earning credentials that lead to meaningful employment. They’re not just accessing opportunity — they’re achieving economic mobility.
Colorado’s Future: A Call for Comprehensive Support
Colorado is striving to ensure every high school student completes at least one college class, earns 12 college credits, or participates in work-based learning before graduation. This vision is both ambitious and vital.
However, the Chalkbeat article makes it clear that access without support will leave too many students behind. BPI’s model — combining scholarships with grants for wraparound services — directly addresses the gaps identified in the report. It ensures that Colorado teens in financial need not only reach the starting line but also have the tools, guidance, and stability to cross the finish line. As a result of this model, we have supported over 400 students in Colorado to eliminate the barriers to their success.
Because meaningful employment isn’t achieved through coursework alone. It’s achieved through opportunity + support + pathway clarity. And that is exactly what BPI delivers.
Join Us in Expanding Opportunity
Your support helps Colorado's financially disadvantaged teens access the education, skills, and stability they need to thrive. Together, we can create a brighter future for our youth.
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