April 13, 2026
Aurora, Colo. – The Community College of Aurora (CCA) is expanding four-year degree offerings with a new Bachelor of Applied Science in Elementary Education. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) approved the new degree during their March meeting. Pending final course approval, CCA students will have the opportunity to pursue the new degree as early as the spring 2027 semester.
As CCA grows, it is important that we do so in a way that is mindful and responsive to the needs of the communities we serve,
said Dr. Bobby Pace, CCA Provost and Vice President of Academic Success. We heard the demand from our students for pathways in elementary education to serve their children and those of their neighbors. We heeded their call with a work-based bachelor’s degree. The socioeconomic mobility that this opportunity creates for our community is the result of offering affordable, high-quality credentials that directly fill a much needed role and offers long term career stability. The elementary education pathway sets students up for success as teachers, right in alignment with CCA’s strategic plan to increase professional skills development and access to experiential learning. We are excited to support and prepare the next generation of educators.
The new degree builds on CCA’s existing educator pathways. Until now, the college offered Associate of Arts degrees designed for transfer to four-year institutions. With this approval, CCA can now provide a seamless, in-house pathway for students to earn a four-year degree aligned with workforce needs.
This approval marks a pivotal moment in the continued evolution of the Community College of Aurora as a driver of economic mobility and regional talent development,
said CCA President Dr. Mordecai Brownlee. As we expand our applied bachelor’s degree offerings, we are not simply adding programs. Instead, we are redesigning pathways that connect learning directly to opportunity. This degree strengthens our ability to meet workforce demands, gives our students high-value credentials, and keeps four-year education affordable and purpose-driven. At CCA, this is how we fulfill our mission—by turning education into a catalyst for individual transformation and community prosperity.
CCA’s focus on experiential learning bolsters the program by placing future teachers in classrooms to learn on the job. The model builds on CCA’s existing partnerships, including its collaboration with Cherry Creek School District through the Aspiring Educator Pathways program. First introduced in fall of 2024, the Colorado Board of Education approved the program just last month.
The new bachelor degree comes just one year after CCA received accreditation for its first-ever bachelor degree in behavioral health. This second year bringing new bachelor degree offerings to CCA signals the college’s overall growth and innovation. As the Aurora region continues to grow, so does the need for qualified educators. This new degree positions CCA to meet that demand while advancing its mission to create social and economic mobility for students and families across the communities it serves.
About the Community College of Aurora
The Community College of Aurora (CCA) provides high-quality instruction and student support services to Aurora, Centennial, and Denver, Colorado. With a vision to aspire to be a college where every student succeeds, CCA is the most diverse college in the State of Colorado. Focused on creating social and economic mobility for its students, the college offers courses on three campuses, online, and through its high school concurrent enrollment programs. For more information, visit www.ccaurora.edu.
Contact
Courtney Butler
Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Special Initiatives
Strategic Communications and Alumni Engagement
P: 303-340-7201 | E: [email protected]