A Model of Rural Collaboration: Strengthening College and Career Pathways through the Rural Schools Innovation Zone

This report describes the Rural Schools Innovation Zone (RSIZ), a formalized, collaborative partnership between K-12 school districts, postsecondary institutions, and industry partners in South Texas that provides high schoolers with multiple high-quality pathways aligned with local labor market needs.

The report captures the specific context and characteristics of the RSIZ, describing the inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and impact of the fully developed, mature RSIZ both to highlight the work currently taking place as well as to provide an example of what a Rural Collaborative can be for district leaders and state policymakers looking to support similar inter-district structures, while allowing for place-based adaptation and tailoring.