CC/V School RE-1 District Hits Nearly $1.5 Million RISE Grant Jackpot

Cripple Creek -Victor RE-1 School District  announced early last week that it became a recipient of monies from the Response, Innovation, and Student Equity (RISE) Fund to innovate and transform public education.

The award came as part of a second round of recipients, including $3 million for Colorado College Mountain College.

The RISE Fund was announced by Gov. Jared Polis in September and made available to high-needs school districts, charter schools and public institutions of higher learning throughout the state. CC-V is receiving close to $1.5 million to create a community wide “skills to employment” program for both youth and adults. The program will combine relevant, purpose-driven classroom instruction with paid workforce training that is linked directly to immediate employment opportunities.

The goal is to skill and reskill the population for livable-wage, in-demand jobs that will also support general economic development. All of the grant recipients were chosen by a group of parents, students, and education leaders.

This has been a long-time goal of district leaders, who have mulled a center for high school students and adults in need participate of internships and on-the-job training.   It has been described as a “skill building to employment program,” by district leaders.

“Cripple Creek-Victor School District is incredibly grateful to Governor Polis for releasing the RISE Grant and to the panel of reviewers for recognizing our passion,” said CC-V School District Superintendent Miriam Mondragon. She has said that planning is underway for the program.

“This endeavor isn’t just about a CTE program, it is a shift in how we educate our youth and strengthen our community.

The Cripple Creek/Victor RE-1 District doesn’t have a big percentage of college-bound students, elevating further the importance of this type of program.

Elected leaders in Cripple Creek and city officials have also lauded the grant, and see it as a definite step forward for the district, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus epidemic.

Some of the monies could be used to help participants work towards building manufactured homes in the community to help address its growing affordable housing shortage, according to preliminary reports.