Summary:
Zip code 80012 in Aurora, CO, has 14 schools serving about 11,809 students from kindergarten through 12th grade, including 8 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 3 high schools, and 1 alternative K-12 school. The schools fall under three authorizers: Aurora Joint District No. 28, Cherry Creek School District No. 5, and the State Charter School Institute. This is a high-poverty area, with an average free/reduced-price lunch rate of about 71%, and chronic absenteeism is a serious concern—roughly 43% of students are chronically absent, well above the state's 28.4%.
The clear academic standout is Aurora Quest K-8, which ranks #2 among elementary schools in Colorado with 92.4% ELA proficiency and 95.8% math proficiency. Lotus School for Excellence also stands out: despite a 91.8% free/reduced-price lunch rate, it beats the Aurora district average in nearly every subject and keeps chronic absenteeism below the state average at 21.2%. Colorado Early Colleges Aurora has the highest graduation rate in the zip (94.1%) but very low SAT math proficiency (4%), suggesting a focus on graduation over test scores. Gateway High School is the most challenged, with a 65.4% graduation rate, 64.9% chronic absenteeism, and the highest dropout rate in the area; Overland High School, by comparison, posts an 83.8% graduation rate and stronger test scores.
Across the zip code, math proficiency is a chronic weakness: every school except Aurora Quest falls below 25% proficiency in math. The weighted chronic absenteeism rate of 43% is likely a major driver of low academic performance. Even though Cherry Creek School District No. 5 is highly rated overall, its five schools in 80012 rank in the bottom 18th percentile statewide, showing that district reputation doesn't always reflect local school performance. Finally, the fact that high-poverty schools like Lotus School for Excellence and Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy can outperform their district is a hopeful sign; but Gateway's low graduation rate and widespread absenteeism remain urgent priorities.
Thank you for your feedback!