FAQs

In the P-TECH school application, Colorado Department of Education requires the designation of a career pathway that aligns with science, technology, engineering or math in a high-growth sector.

We chose Environmental Solutions as our STEM pathway for a few different reasons. Tourism and outdoor recreation comprise the largest sector of the local economy (44%). Simply put, people come to enjoy the natural beauty of our region and recreation that it provides. Not only is it the right moral thing to do to steward the resources that attract visitors from near and far, but practices using sustainability science are also critical to the long-term lifeblood of our economy. Sustainability science-based skills and practices can be implemented in a variety of different industries outside of our largest sector (e.g. construction, the second largest sector). Also, as a function of the natural beauty and local mountain resorts, our community already claims a number of skilled professionals in the sustainability science sector who can lend their expertise to coming generations of students. Third, Colorado Mountain College has a strong Sustainability program that local students can leverage for a Bachelor's degree after graduating from P-TECH, if they choose, as a natural extension of the pathway.

Environmental Solutions is a term that encapsulates professions addressing critical environmental and sustainability issues. These issues include climate change, rampant wildfires, renewable energies, and increasing demands on our water supply. These high-growth careers -- positions such as Environmental Scientists and Sustainability Specialists -- will serve important roles in local and global communities and economies in the search for and practice of environmental solutions to critical contemporary challenges.

P-TECH students can choose between an Associate of Science degree or Associate of Arts - Environmental Studies degree.

We understand that student interests may change with the years. One of the benefits of P-TECH is giving students access to experiential learning in a workplace setting and skilled professionals to help students assess their interests and fit in different workplaces. We do not think it is constructive to pigeonhole a student into a specific occupation (many of the occupations are likely to morph and adapt to different technological and external innovations). Students may choose to apply an Associate of Science in a variety of different occupations.

That said, ideally we are looking for students who have discovered an interest or natural inclination for STEM and/or sustainability science in one way or another, maybe through a science class or one of the elementary and middle school STEM programs offered by organizations like Walking Mountains.

We are anticipating that most P-TECH students in the first cohort will be 9th graders (Class of 2025) and will not have a regular internship or related employment during 9th grade. We will work with older P-TECH students (Class of 2023 & 2024) to place them in work-based learning opportunities with one of our participating partners.

Active Energies Solar, Inc., Encore Electric, Vail Honeywagon, and Walking Mountains Science Center are our initial P-TECH partners for the Environmental Solutions pathway. We anticipate adding other employers in the coming years.

Yes, the cohort will meet for an hour on Wednesday mornings (assuming a continuing late-start schedule). Students will learn from academic readiness and workforce development curriculums in preparation for college-level courses and on-the-job internships. Students will receive 0.25 hours of unweighted elective credit per semester for the class. The classes will be held at both Battle Mountain HS and Eagle Valley HS.

No, Colorado Mountain College is the only college partner for P-TECH.

Eagle County Schools has a three-person CareerX team that helps facilitate the process of crafting work-based learning experiences for students. Read more about CareerX here.

Payment is not guaranteed for students in a P-TECH internship, but our intention is to arrange for student compensation in return for students meeting agreed-upon expectations in the internship.

Potentially, but only under favorable circumstances. The high school course schedules will be used as the primary options. One challenge of the CMC summer courses schedule is that it overlaps with the ECS spring semester often creating scheduling complications for students between the two schools.

ECS schedules will be prioritized, but there may occasional opportunities that are accepted in certain situations. Each opportunity must be reviewed with an ECS school counselor before enrolling in CMC summer school. Online choices will be reviewed as well.

During the school year, P-TECH students may want to take CMC courses online or at the CMC-Edwards campus if the course of interest is not offered or not available at the high school campus and does not interfere with the normal school schedule. P-TECH students will not be permitted to take courses at CMC or online through CMC if the same course is offered and available on the high school campus.

For 2021-2022, there are two designated P-TECH schools: Battle Mountain HS P-TECH and Eagle Valley HS P-TECH. Any interested current Red Canyon HS (RCHS) or Vail Ski & Snowboard Academy student would need to transfer to one of those two schools.
For the 2022-2023 school year, we will be submitting an addendum to our P-TECH application to request allowing Red Canyon HS and Vail Ski & Snowboard Academy HS students in P-TECH while continuing to maintain enrollment in their respective schools.

You can review the CMC concurrent enrollment eligibility requirements here.

The Accuplacer is a test used to measure a student's academic levels before the student can enroll in a college-level class. CMC 's placement testing coordinator, Mrs. Carol Carlson, conducts information sessions at the high schools, and ECS school counselors will also address this issue with students. To learn more about placement testing, you can visit CMC's placement testing page here.

Once a P-TECH student places at college level through the Accuplacer assessments, the student makes an appointment with a CMC counselor to chart the CMC academic pathway for the associate's degree.

Students have the option of completing their associate degree in four, five, or six years.

A student in a 5th or 6th year of P-TECH would attend all classes through CMC, either on campus or online.

Most college-level courses are transferable to public Colorado universities as well as many out-of-state schools, but students should not automatically assume that to be the case, especially for out-of-state options. Please also see the CMC Transfer reference page.

Students who are interested in attending a four-year college or university are encouraged to confirm college course selections with their universities of choice to ensure that the courses will transfer prior to registration.

A lot! Consider the tuition and room & board expenses at popular in-state and out of state options that are typically listed on the schools' websites - examples here (CU/Boulder) and here (CSU). While most four-year college students typically pay less than the "sticker price" of college (given different forms of financial aid), the cost savings of the P-TECH option can still be substantial for a student weighing his or her options. Subtracting two years of costs (assuming the transfer of credits from an associate's degree) at a four-year school can save a student and family a lot of money!

The student must have a final grade of C- (70) or above to have the cost of the tuition covered. Otherwise, the student / family must reimburse the school district for the cost of the tuition. Other stipulations will be covered in the P-TECH agreement, but this is one of the main points.

We will look to include as many students as possible provided they are good fits. The recommendation of teachers will be carefully considered.
Student and parents/guardians are asked to assess the benefits and costs of making this choice before submitting the application.

As stated by the Colorado Department of Education, “a P-TECH student’s high school diploma cannot be dated and conferred to the student until he/she has completed the P-TECH program."

It is understandable that having a later date on a student's diploma may be upsetting to the student (for students who choose the 5th or 6th year option), but it is a necessary trade-off by state regulations. In order to help finance one's continuing education using state funds, the student must continue to be classified as a high school student in P-TECH.

Yes, but you will not receive a diploma during the graduation ceremony. However, if your school issues diplomas during the ceremony, no one at the ceremony will be able to tell that you did not receive a diploma as you should receive the same cover or protector as other students. Students are advised to confirm the order and receipt of a cover with their high school counselor and registrar well before the ceremony.

Yes, if for whatever reason you are not able to complete the P-TECH requirements, you will still receive a high school diploma assuming you completed your high school graduation requirements. In this case, your diploma will reflect the year in which the graduation requirements were fulfilled.

Yes, they will be eligible to participate in all sports, clubs, and activities through their fourth year of high school assuming they meet all of the extracurricular requirements of the high school (e.g. maintaining the required grade point average).

Yes, each student will be evaluated for fit according to the guidelines. Non-discrimination policies apply to P-TECH just as they do in any other public school in the state. In fact, we are encouraging the inclusion of a representative proportion of students with disabilities in our cohorts.