Colorado’s Big Three: What Schools Need to Know
Colorado's Big Three is changing the work schools need to do.
Colorado's Big Three, established through SB25-315, sets a goal that 100% of high school graduates, beginning with the class of 2029, will have achieved at least one of three outcomes: 12 postsecondary credits, a quality, in-demand non-degree credential, or a high-quality work-based learning experience.
CDE's Start-Up and Sustain Funding is supporting districts as they develop, implement, maintain, and expand programs connected to these outcomes. Eligible expenses include program planning and design, professional development, staffing or contracted implementation support, work-based learning expenses, and outreach to students, families, and business.
For schools building or strengthening work-based learning, the opportunity is to develop the systems now that will make high-quality experiences possible at scale.
That's where Throughline comes in. We co-design the systems, tools, partnerships, and processes your team needs to build and run a sustainable work-based learning program.
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Colorado's Big Three is a statewide effort to expand students' access to postsecondary and workforce readiness opportunities. CDE's goal is that 100% of Colorado high school graduates, beginning with the class of 2029, will have achieved at least one of three outcomes: 12 postsecondary credits, a quality, in-demand non-degree credential, or a high-quality work-based learning experience.
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Start-Up Funding supports eligible expenses associated with developing and implementing postsecondary and workforce readiness programs. It is available through the 2027-28 budget year. Sustain Funding, which begins in the 2026-27 budget year, reimburses districts for eligible expenses associated with students who achieve one of the Big Three outcomes.
Eligible expenses include program planning and design, professional development, staffing or contracted support for program implementation, work-based learning expenses, transportation, and outreach to students, families, and business.
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CDE lists program planning and design, professional development, and staffing or contracted support for program implementation among its eligible expense categories. These categories overlap with several elements of Throughline's work, including program design, professional development, and implementation support.
Schools and districts should confirm eligibility for their specific use of funds with their district and CDE guidance.
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Work-based learning doesn't have to sit apart from the other Big Three pathways. In some programs, students can earn an industry-recognized credential through or alongside a work-based learning experience. Work-based learning can also connect classroom learning to postsecondary pathways and help students see how their learning relates to future careers.
Throughline specializes in designing WBL systems with the broader Big Three in mind.
Throughline specializes in designing WBL systems with the broader Big Three in mind.
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Every engagement begins with a free 60-minute Discovery Call. We'll talk through where your school is now, what you've already built, what you're hoping to accomplish, and the opportunities and constraints you're working within.
From there, we'll identify the right path (Build, Tune, Launch, or a Scoped Project) and discuss how available funding may fit into the work.