Morgan Community College (MCC) and Burlington School District RE-6J are expanding a powerful rural workforce partnership designed to grow educators and strengthen Eastern Plains school communities in Colorado.

Burlington now has community members and staff engaged at nearly every stage of the education pipeline, including high school students exploring teaching careers, recent graduates stepping into paraprofessional roles, adults beginning early‑childhood coursework, paraprofessionals completing residencies, and bachelor’s‑degree learners preparing for licensure.

At the center of this work is a shared commitment to solving one of Colorado’s most urgent challenges: the statewide shortage of qualified teachers, with more than 6,900 positions currently unfilled, a burden felt most heavily by rural districts.

Burlington Elementary School Principal, Matt Kastner, describes the MCC–Burlington partnership as “ignited” over the past year, driven by the growing number of Burlington employees who are simultaneously completing MCC teacher‑preparation coursework.

With MCC programs crafted specifically for working adults and paraprofessionals, Burlington Elementary School now has a sustainable way to “grow their own” educators without requiring individuals to leave their community for training.

This approach solves a long‑standing barrier: previously, aspiring educators often had to navigate disjointed pathways, relocate, or complete online programs with limited in‑person support. MCC’s expanded program options streamline that process while keeping learners anchored in their hometown schools.

A signature element of the partnership is the emphasis on real classroom experience. Students across MCC’s educator‑preparation pathways complete early fieldwork, integrated practicums, and year‑long residencies in Burlington schools—allowing them to learn, teach, and serve the same students they plan to support long‑term.

Burlington School District Preschool Co-Director Irma Reents serves as a trained skills guide (mentor) for students in early childhood education courses.  Skills Guide Development and Training was funded this past year through an Early Childhood Initiative Grant through the Buell Foundation.  “Skills guides (mentors) receive stipends for their service, and students receive a partial scholarship for up to 15 credits of early childhood courses through a Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) grant,” stated MCC Education faculty Jamie Hochanadel.  “This program was implemented based on research that shows that quality mentors in the field help students connect deeper with content and improves teacher morale and retention.”

According to Kastner, this embedded model is transformative: it energizes staff, strengthens relationships and builds confidence among future educators.

The collaboration is already reshaping the local workforce. This wide-entry model allows students to obtain training based on the position they want. MCC has the full continuum of educator preparation, from early childhood certifications for pre-schools through associate and bachelor level degrees, educating students “where they live and serve.”  This is especially vital in rural districts, where recruiting external candidates is increasingly challenging. “People want to stay in their communities,” Kastner emphasized. “This partnership helps them build a future here and helps us keep our schools strong.”

This year, Burlington Elementary School introduced a badging system for MCC students completing observation hours, a small change that made a big difference. Staff can easily identify learners in the building, strengthen mentorship connections, and even invite them onto the substitute list. The badges have become a visible symbol of belonging and shared purpose.

“By building strong local pathways, we’re not just filling vacancies,” Kastner said. “We’re strengthening the entire region for years to come.”

The depth of the MCC–Burlington collaboration is further strengthened by the recent approval of MCC’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Elementary Education by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The program received final approval from HLC on January 16, 2026, ensuring that Burlington‑based learners have access to a fully accredited, high‑quality bachelor’s pathway without needing to leave their community.

With the BAS Elementary Education program now formally included under MCC’s HLC accreditation, Burlington’s local educator‑development pipeline benefits from an added layer of academic assurance and regional recognition. The accreditation validates the work MCC and Burlington have already built together: high‑quality fieldwork, integrated practicum experiences and year‑long clinical residencies.

For Burlington Schools, HLC accreditation reinforces that the preparation their future teachers receive is grounded in evidence‑based practices, aligned with Colorado’s Elementary Education endorsement requirements, and strengthened by close collaboration with local districts.

Together, MCC’s HLC‑accredited BAS Elementary Education program and Burlington School District’s on‑the‑ground support structure advances a shared mission: expanding access to high‑quality educator preparation, strengthening the rural workforce, and ensuring that Eastern Plains students learn from teachers who are prepared to thrive in, and are committed to, their own communities.

“These partnerships are foundational to our mission at MCC,” said MCC Director of Regional Outreach, Holly Haman-Marcum. “They allow us to expand access to high‑quality education while strengthening the regional workforce we are committed to serving.”

For both MCC and Burlington Elementary School, this work is more than a pipeline, it is an investment in the long‑term strength of Eastern Plains communities.

This article was originally published here.