As rural school districts everywhere continue to struggle with acquiring and retaining quality teachers, Colorado’s Department of Higher Education has developed several unique programs to entice teachers to stay.

The department has five programs targeting schools in rural areas. It will expand Teacher Quality grants to support more professional development for teachers. The grants will also aid science, technology, engineering and math programs in rural districts — especially in northern Colorado.

The Department of Higher Education will also conduct roundtable meetings to develop a pipeline of teachers to rural school districts. The first meeting will be held in February.

“We’re going to sit down and say, ‘hey look, what can we do?'” Mitchell said. “What can we put in place to help develop this pipeline, to help strengthen the pipeline of teachers going into these rural communities?”

The Adams State University Foundation will work with DHE to help more teachers meet the requirements to teach concurrent enrollment programs. Concurrent enrollment allows students to earn college credit while still in high school.

The Colorado GEAR UP program will continue to work with the state to provide support to students from lower income families seek careers in education.

The Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative awards $3.4 million in grant money to support students across the state –including those in rural areas — to allow them to attend college and enter the workforce.

NBC 9 News Colorado | State offers help to rural school districts