Aurora Joint District No. 28

The Aurora Joint District No. 28 encompasses 58 schools, including 42 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 6 high schools, and 4 alternative schools, serving students from preschool through 12th grade. The district's performance varies widely, with a few standout schools like Aurora Quest K-8 ranking among the top in the state, while many others struggle to meet proficiency standards.

The district's four-year graduation rate is 84.2%, on par with the state average, but its chronic absenteeism rate of 27.7% is significantly higher. Schools with higher percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, such as Lotus School for Excellence, tend to have lower academic performance, suggesting a correlation between socioeconomic status and student outcomes. Addressing these disparities and providing targeted support to underperforming schools will be crucial for the district to ensure equitable access to quality education for all students.

Despite the challenges, the Aurora Joint District No. 28 also boasts exceptional schools like Aurora Quest K-8, which ranks 3rd out of 950 Colorado elementary schools and has exceptional proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math. Similarly, Murphy Creek K-8 School and Lotus School for Excellence demonstrate strong performance, offering promising examples for the district to build upon.