The Mission of Catalyst Education of Colorado

To be an accessible, nurturing and challenging educational catalyst for change, where teens assume control of their actions and develop resiliency, confidence, and passion to learn, as they complete high school with increased personal assets and solid academic skills.

-- Ed Porritt, Founder of Catalyst EDU

Catalyst EDU is a Boulder County private education program

Catalyst Education of Colorado provides a private education for students in Boulder County and along the Front Range. Catalyst EDU is an extraordinary nonprofit high school, one that any family should consider if looking for an entirely different high school experience. After visiting Catalyst, many parents comment that they wish they had attended a place like this when they were young. Catalyst runs year round, with a flexible vacation schedule. The student works one-on-one with a licensed, highly qualified teacher to create an individualized schedule and classes that are based on strengths and interests. If the time to change schools is now, there is no need to wait for the next semester to transfer. Catalyst students can start school and begin earning credits on any school day. We focus on teaching students the skills necessary to access information, design quality work, and present ideas consistent with 21st Century expectations. The average contact time that a student has with each teacher is between 30 and 60 minutes of undivided attention, which fosters mutual understanding and a solid relationship.

Catalyst can be any combination of experiential, community-based, research-based, and even text driven – whatever works best for the student. In Catalyst, students focus intently on one or two classes for four weeks, which encourages in-depth studies, concentration, focus and minimal transitions. Students are free to “move around the office.” The student assumes responsibility for attendance, designing the schedule and creating (with the teacher) the lesson plans. The Catalyst routine is similar to that of Colorado College, in Colorado Springs, with student-selected classes, intensive block studies, and four-day breaks between academic blocks.

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"Mom, I love my school! The great thing about Catalyst is that they design the classes for my benefit, not theirs!"
-- Tim, a current student

"Not only is this the first and only high school that worked for Sarah, it’s the most focused I’ve seen her in twelve years of education.”
-- Chris, father of a current student