Who We Are
The Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) cultivates systems improvement and equity in K-12 education.
Our 2021-2023 Goals

Referred to as “Essential Skills” by Colorado statute, Running Kid outcomes include the development of academic, professional, personal, entrepreneurial, and civic outcomes for all students at scale, and by design.
CEI’s 2021-2023 goals reflect the major systems implications of this moment and our commitment to bridging the gap between leaders making statewide systems decisions and leaders doing the work in school systems every day, and amplifying learning from bold implementation projects in ways that build broader movements to disrupt existing policy barriers. Our 2023 goals include:
- Colorado school districts equitably, predictably, and reliably produce Running Kid outcomes
- Colorado communities embrace a broader understanding of school quality
- Colorado maximizes the policy and funding opportunities of recovery to enable breakthrough change that drives equity and relevance in high school
Our Approach
The Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) cultivates systems improvement and equity in K-12 education. For more than ten years, we have been at the forefront of improvement, innovation, and change in Colorado’s public education system.
Our Vision
Every student in Colorado is prepared and unafraid to succeed in school, work, and life and ready to take on the challenges of today, tomorrow, and beyond.
Our Mission
CEI accelerates educational improvement and innovation across Colorado.
Our Values
- All students, regardless of race, ethnicity, first language, culture, socio-economic background, physical and mental abilities, or geography, deserve an education that enables them to succeed in school, work, and life. This requires an education system that serves the academic, professional, personal, entrepreneurial, and civic needs of students.
- Systems produce the results they are designed to produce. Colorado’s education system must be reimagined with the realities of the 21st century in mind, in a way that is designed to drive the success of all students.
- The people working in our school systems are the most powerful drivers of improvement and innovation.
- A data-driven approach must be taken to innovation and improvement.Referred to as “Essential Skills” by Colorado statute, Running Kid outcomes include the development of academic, professional, personal, entrepreneurial, and civic outcomes for all students at scale, and by design.
- The best solutions and ideas in education should be applied throughout Colorado.
Our Design Commitments
CEI’s six design commitments, embedded within all of our projects, define what we believe are critical levers for system transformation.
Learn more about each commitment