Summary:
ZIP code 80230 contains exactly one high school, New America School - Aurora, a small public charter school serving grades 9 through 12 with 82 students and a very high level of economic need, as nearly 93% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
New America School - Aurora is the only high school in this area, which makes it the sole option for local families, but the school faces severe performance challenges that set it far apart from both its district, the State Charter School Institute, and the state of Colorado. The graduation rate is just 13.0%, meaning only about one in eight students graduates on time, compared to 82.0% for the district and 85.6% statewide. The dropout rate is 20.5%—roughly 25 times higher than the district’s 0.8% rate and nearly 13 times the state’s 1.6% rate. Chronic absenteeism is also extreme, with 80.8% of students missing significant instructional time, versus about 30% districtwide and statewide. These numbers point to serious student retention and engagement struggles.
The school’s small size—just 82 students across four grade levels—may limit the breadth of courses and support services available, especially for a population with such high needs. Historical rankings reinforce the concerning picture: in 2018-2019, the school ranked 405th out of 411 Colorado high schools, and in 2017-2018 it ranked 385th out of 388, both landing in the 1st percentile with zero stars. While the district as a whole ranks in the 57th percentile with three stars, this campus is a clear outlier, far below district and state averages on nearly every metric. For parents considering this school, the low graduation rate, high dropout rate, and near-universal chronic absenteeism are critical factors to weigh, as the data indicates the school is struggling to overcome substantial socioeconomic and systemic barriers.
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