Impact Stories

The San Juan BOCES serves rural districts in southwestern Colorado, including Archuleta County (Pagosa Springs), Bayfield, Dolores, Dolores County (Dove Creek), Ignacio, Mancos, Montezuma-Cortez, and Silverton. These districts collaborate through the BOCES to provide specialized services and share resources that might otherwise be difficult to sustain independently. Under the leadership of Special Education Director Brandi Durr, the San Juan BOCES has been in partnership with the Colorado Department of Education's Office of Learning Supports in implementing COMTSS for the past eight years. Brandi has played a key role in driving this work, supporting educators and school leaders in building systems that meet the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs of all students, with a particular focus on equity and inclusive practices across the diverse members.

Garfield Re-2 School District (Rifle, Colorado) used the Colorado Multi-Tiered System of Supports (COMTSS) grant to create a cohesive, districtwide system centered on collaboration, consistency, and student growth. The work moved schools from isolated practices to shared ownership of outcomes, improving data use, aligning practices across buildings, and increasing engagement and achievement for previously disconnected students. The district developed clear, replicable RTI process maps for elementary and secondary levels and standardized evidence-based tools (95% Interventions, Heggerty, iReady) while maintaining flexibility for student needs. Their innovative supports, including a Tier 2 STEAM class targeting executive functioning, show how aligned systems produce meaningful results.