Teachers Call for Expanded Postsecondary Pathways, Closing Foundational Learning Gaps, and Building a High-Quality Educator Workforce
Denver, CO, March 17, 2026—Today, Teach Plus Colorado Policy Fellows and alumni are at the State Capitol with a clear message: every Colorado student deserves postsecondary pathways, strong foundational skills, and a high-quality teacher in the classroom—and the state has the power to make that real. These teacher leaders are meeting with legislators to connect what they see in their classrooms every day to concrete, research-driven policies that give every student, and especially students furthest from opportunity, a future that’s within reach.
“The teacher leaders I work with are clear on what it would take to advance opportunities for every Colorado student: postsecondary pathways that reach all learners, foundational skills that carry students through, and a skilled educator workforce that is supported and able to stay. Colorado has built real momentum—and our teachers are here to ask this legislature to keep going,” said Teach Plus Colorado Executive Director Dr. Jamita Horton.
To bridge the gap between the classroom and career opportunities, Teach Plus teacher leaders are calling for universal access to the “Big Three”—in-demand industry credentials, college credit, and work-based learning—by ensuring 100 percent of students have meaningful engagement in at least one postsecondary workforce readiness (PWR) opportunity. To make this a reality, the teachers are advocating for the alignment of state resources and accountability structures to ensure these opportunities reach students furthest from opportunity.
“My goal at Capital Day is to ensure every Colorado student has access to strong Postsecondary Workforce Readiness pathways. Through cross-sector collaboration and dedicated liaisons, we can strengthen individualized career and academic pathways, support student success after graduation, and meet Colorado’s workforce needs—using data to ensure accountability and impact,” said Jeanette Valdez, 5th grade teacher at Minnequa Elementary School in Pueblo and 2025-26 Teach Plus Colorado Policy Fellow.
Postsecondary pathways only deliver on their promise if students are ready for them. Teach Plus Colorado teacher leaders are calling for aggressive, evidence-based action to close literacy gaps—with targeted interventions, stronger supports for multilingual learners, and a commitment to keeping students engaged and present.
“With the READ Act, Colorado legislators put in place a critical piece of legislation to support struggling readers. This Tuesday, we are advocating for continued funding, training, and coaching to support educators in grades 4-12 so that we can successfully exit students from READ plans and create a strong foundation of literacy for all learners who move through Colorado schools,” said Christina Thompson, 6th-7th grade literacy teacher at Denver Online Middle School and 2025-26 Teach Plus Colorado Policy Fellow.
Teach Plus teacher leaders are also calling for policies that build and sustain a high-quality educator workforce—investing in preparation, compensation, and retention so that skilled, experienced teachers are leading every classroom. This advocacy day builds on a year of persistent engagement with state leaders: Fellows have authored reports including Building a Stronger Special Education Workforce, testified in support of SB25-154 and the school finance formula (HB24-1448), contributed to READ Act implementation, and taken their case directly to the public through statewide op-eds and legislative briefings
The teachers’ priorities reflect Teach Plus Colorado’s long-term vision: that every student, from the smallest rural town to the largest city, leaves high school with a diploma that actually opens doors. Read the full legislative agenda here.
About Teach Plus
The mission of Teach Plus is to empower excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that affect their students’ success. Since 2009, Teach Plus has developed thousands of teacher leaders across the country to exercise their leadership in shaping education policy and improving teaching and learning for students. teachplus.org/CO
