The Greater Arvada Chamber’s State of Education on August 8, 2025 brought together education leaders from Jeffco Public Schools and Red Rocks Community College to share updates on the state of education in our region. Superintendent Tracy Dorland and President Dr. Landon Pirius offered insights on student achievement, funding challenges, career readiness, and the critical partnerships between schools, higher education, and the business community.
View a video recording of the event here and the event slides here.
Here are our five biggest takeaways:
1. Jeffco Students are Outperforming the State – but Funding Lags Behind
Jeffco students scored above the state average on standardized tests, with graduation rates at 93% across 17 neighborhood high schools. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are closing equity gaps. For example, economically disadvantaged students in CTE pathways graduate at 94%, compared to 73% for peers outside those programs.
Despite these successes, Jeffco receives significantly less local per-pupil funding than neighboring districts. “If we had more money, we could do even better,” said Dorland. “It’s a challenge to keep pace with what other districts can offer, especially for teacher pay and program expansion.”
2. Career-Connected Learning Starts Early and Pays Off
Both Jeffco and Red Rocks are reimagining education to better prepare students for life after graduation. Jeffco is investing in middle school experiences that connect classroom learning to real-world careers, while expanding high school CTE programs and concurrent enrollment opportunities.
“We believe in the magic of middle school,” Dorland said. “It’s a critical developmental time, and we want students to start exploring what’s possible in the world of work.”
Red Rocks is focusing on aligning programs with in-demand jobs, from skilled trades to nursing, and offering applied bachelor’s degrees in fields like cybersecurity, water quality, and business.
3. Higher Education is not Just for the ‘Traditional’ Student
Red Rocks serves three main groups: concurrently enrolled high school students, traditional college-aged students, and adult learners returning mid-career. The college is working toward a balanced enrollment mix, expanding programs that meet adult learners’ needs, and developing an adult high school diploma pathway in partnership with community organizations.
Eighty-six percent of Red Rocks students graduate without debt, and the average borrower owes just $3,400, far below national averages. “The narrative about high student debt doesn’t match our reality,” Pirius said. “We keep tuition affordable and focus on programs that deliver a strong return on investment.”
4. Federal and State Policy Changes Could Have big Local Impacts
Potential cuts to federal programs like career and technical education, adult education, and childcare support could affect student access and program capacity in both K-12 and higher education. At the state level, Colorado ranks near the bottom nationally in per-pupil K-12 funding and is among the lowest in higher education funding, forcing institutions to rely more on local funding and tuition increases.
5. Partnerships are the Key to Future Success
Both leaders emphasized that strong, strategic partnerships between education, business, and community organizations are critical to meeting workforce needs. Examples include Jeffco’s work-based learning collaborations, Red Rocks’ nursing program launch to address healthcare shortages, and unique pathways like the STEM-endorsed diploma partnership with Colorado School of Mines, which guarantees admission for qualifying Jeffco graduates.
“We want to be the partner of choice for Arvada and all of our communities,” Pirius said. “That means listening to what employers need and building programs that truly prepare students for those opportunities.”
The conversation closed with a call to action: for businesses, policymakers, educators, and community members to work together to align education with workforce needs, advocate for sustainable funding, and ensure all learners have access to the opportunities they need to thrive.
We encourage the community to join us for our next Community Impact Forum: The State of the Region on October 17, 2025. Sign up for the Chamber’s community newsletters for alerts on all upcoming events and programs.
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