Building a Diverse Teacher Pipeline in Denver, CO

Denver-area school districts, like many others across the country, are facing a severe teacher shortage combined with a lack of racially diverse teaching staff. To address these challenges, impact investors, service providers and workforce experts, and school districts launched the Denver Para-to-Teacher Pipeline Project. This public-private partnership uses outcomes financing to scale a proven strategy for building a talent pool of diverse, experienced educators committed to their local community.

The Community Outcomes Fund, in partnership with BDTcatalyst, is financing the expansion of a pioneering teacher training program that will enable 200 paraprofessionals to become full-time teachers over a five-year period. The Center for Urban Education (CUE) at the University of Northern Colorado provides a pathway for Denver’s paraprofessionals to earn a bachelor’s degree and teaching license and transition into career-track, higher wage teaching positions. Trendlines, a Denver-based workforce development accelerator, is helping CUE sustainably expand its operations by providing strategic support around recruitment, data systems, and performance management. Project partners are all aligned around driving strong outcomes for CUE graduates and their students, measured by rates of teacher placement, diversity, and retention.