Our Region and Partners

Serving the Eastern Sierra Region and Collaborating for Educational Impact, This collaborative covers the Eastern Sierra region, a state-designated area comprising seven counties:

  • Alpine County
  • Amador County
  • Calaveras County
  • Inyo County
  • Mariposa County
  • Mono County
  • Tuolumne County 

Our first round of project proposals raised $6.2 million, funding over 25 programs across six counties. In the second round, 15 applications were received, with six projects qualifying for funding totaling $1,381,966. These efforts are focused on enhancing educational opportunities and workforce development across the region

Sierra K-16 Collaboratives

The Sierra K-16 Collaborative is a robust partnership of regional leaders, educators, and employers working together to enhance student outcomes and prepare the next generation of skilled workers and leaders. As outlined in our Grant Agreement, the collaborative brings together diverse stakeholders to align regional goals and implement effective plans for educational success.

Formation of the Collaborative

To meet state guidelines for this initiative, the Sierra K-16 Collaborative includes essential components from the educational, workforce, and community sectors:

  • At least one K-12 school district: Sonora High School District
  • At least one UC campus: UC Merced
  • At least one CSU campus: CSU Stanislaus
  • At least one community college district: Columbia College

Key Commitments of the Collaborative

  1. Steering Committee with Local Employer Representation
    The Eastern Sierra K-16 Steering Council is comprised of representatives from K-12 schools, post-secondary institutions, workforce organizations, and local community organizations. At least 25% of the steering committee members are local employers, ensuring that regional workforce needs are closely aligned with educational and training pathways.
  2. Commitment to the California Cradle-to-Career Data System
    The collaborative is committed to participating in the California Cradle-to-Career Data System, which enables the collection and analysis of data across the educational continuum, from early childhood to career outcomes, ensuring data-driven decision-making for continuous improvement.
  3. Commitment to Recovery with Equity (RWE) Recommendations
    The Sierra K-16 Collaborative is dedicated to implementing key recommendations from the Recovery with Equity (RWE) report to ensure equitable access to educational opportunities:
    • Cultivate inclusive, engaging, and equity-oriented learning environments
    • Retain students through inclusive support services
    • Provide high-tech, high-touch advising
    • Support college preparation and early credit opportunities
    • Improve college affordability
  4. Commitment to Developing Occupational Pathways in High-Demand Sectors
    The Sierra K-16 Collaborative is focused on creating clear and accessible occupational pathways in key sectors to ensure students are well-prepared for successful careers. Our pathways currently focus on the following high-demand fields:
    • Healthcare (Nursing)
    • Education (Teaching)
    • Computing/Engineering

Our Programs and Partners

To achieve our goals, Sierra K-16 has established comprehensive partnerships with K-12, post-secondary, workforce, and community organizations throughout the region.

Total Investment: $9.59 million across 36 funded partnerships, programs, and projects.

K-12 Partners

County Offices of Education/LEAs:
  • Amador, Inyo, Mono, Calaveras, Mariposa County Offices of Education
  • Sonora Union and Summerville Union High School Districts
High Schools and Districts:
  • Sonora High School (Healthcare, Education, IT Pathways)
  • Summerville High (CP & Robotics, Career Center Upgrade)
  • Amador High (Healthcare Readiness and Training)
  • Mammoth, Big Pine, Bishop, Lone Pine High Schools
  • Bret Harte and Calaveras Unified (Steps to Success, EMT, Discovery Labs)
  • Mariposa Unified (Healthcare Pathways)

Post-Secondary Partners

Community Colleges:
  • Columbia College, Cerro Coso, Modesto Junior College
Universities:
  • CSU Stanislaus (Teacher Ed., Pathways)
  • UC Merced (Collaborative Partner)

Workforce & Business Partners

In-Project Partners:
  • Sutter Health Amador, Volcano Communications, The Resource Connection
  • Southern Inyo Health Care District
Healthcare Partners:
  • Adventist Health, Mark Twain Medical Center, MACT Health Board
Tech & Industry:
  • Apple, LinkedIn

Community Partners

  • Youth to Leadership Foundation
  • US Army
Workforce Development:
  • Mother Lode Job Training (Recruitment Pathways)
  • Health Career Pathway Advocates
Educational Foundations:
  • Mariposa Educational Bridge Foundation, Amador Community College Foundation

Program Impact Areas

  • Healthcare Pathways (12 projects, $2.4M+): Medical internships, EMT training, readiness initiatives
  • Education Pathways (4 projects, $1.0M+): Teacher prep, Stan State initiatives
  • Tech & CS (5 projects, $890K+): Google IT, Design & Media Arts, Robotics
  • General & Infrastructure (15 projects, $5.3M+): Facilities upgrades, recruitment, discovery labs
Conclusion: Sierra K-16 ensures that students transition smoothly from elementary through higher education into careers in key regional industries.

K-12 partners

Amador County Office of Education
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Inyo County Office of Education
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Mono County Office of Education
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Calaveras County Office of Education
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Mariposa County Unified School District
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Amador High School
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Sonora High School
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Mariposa high school
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Big Pine Unified School District
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Mark Twain Elementary School
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Bret Harte Union High School
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Summerville High School
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Mammoth High School
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Lone Pine Unified School District
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Bishop High School
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Sonora Union High School District
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Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools
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Alpine County Unified School District
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Post-Secondary Partners

Columbia College
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Cerro Coso College
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CSU Stanislaus
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UC Merced
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MJC
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Amador College Connect
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Workforce/ Business Partner

Adventist Health Sonora
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MACT
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Linkedin
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Apple
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Community Partners

Mother Lode Job Training
Mariposa Educational Bridge Foundation
Amador Community College Foundation