Educational inequality resulting from wealth disparity leaves many students from low-income families unprepared for college or career. In the 80-mile corridor between Aspen and Parachute in western Colorado, over half of children are not ready for kindergarten, and only 73 percent of low-income youth graduate high school. Recognizing that this problem reached beyond the classroom, the Aspen Community Foundation (ACF), launched the Aspen to Parachute Cradle to Career Initiative (CCI) in 2012. This case study tells the story of CCI’s work to bring together the non-profit, public, and private sectors in pursuit of our high-level goals:

• Goal 1: All Children Should be Ready for Kindergarten
• Goal 2: All Children Should Develop Social and Life Assets for Success and Happiness
• Goal 3: All Children Should Succeed Academically
• Goal 4: All Youth Should Graduate High School Ready for College and Career