Colorado Connections @ 27J

Colorado Connections @ 27J is a K–12 virtual alternative school in Englewood, CO, serving 2,042 students under School District 27J. As one of the largest alternative schools in the area, its office-complex location and "Connections" branding reflect its fully online instructional model. The school's student-teacher ratio of 22.2:1 is notably higher than nearby schools, which range from about 13.1:1 at Aurora Science & Technical High School to 18.1:1 at Colorado Summit Connections Academy — a common characteristic of virtual schools where ratios don't directly mirror traditional classrooms.

The school's biggest strengths are in secondary reading and writing. SAT Reading/Writing proficiency reached 61% in 2025-2026, essentially matching the state average of 60% and well above the district's 47%. PSAT 9 Reading/Writing hit 70%, beating the state's 66%. This is especially strong compared to nearby alternative schools like Aurora Central Campus, where only 19% of students score proficient. Attendance is another bright spot: chronic absenteeism sits at just 17.7%, far below the district's 29.7% and the state's 28.4%, and dramatically lower than Aurora Central Campus (69.4%) and Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy (51.7%).

Math achievement, however, is a major concern. CMAS Math proficiency is just 13.9% across all grades, compared to 26.8% for the district and 37.3% for the state. This creates a striking 50-point gap between PSAT 9 Reading/Writing (70%) and PSAT 9 Math (20%). The graduation rate of 79.9% is below the district (87.0%) and state (85.6%), though it improved meaningfully from 71.4% the prior year. The dropout rate of 3.6% is more than double district and state averages. When compared to its closest peer, Colorado Summit Connections Academy, this school posts lower chronic absenteeism and a higher graduation rate, but both schools struggle with similarly weak math proficiency.