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D

Adams-Arapahoe School District 28J

Public school districtGrades PK–12

Serves Aurora.

Aurora’s School Grade B better than 59% of Colorado school districts

Students
38,691
Schools
58
Spent per student
$18,657
CO $15,889
Students per teacher
17:1
Free or reduced lunch
80%
Debt
$304.5M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Adams-Arapahoe School District 28J

  • Its letter, D: results better than 14% of Colorado districts
  • Math proficiency 18 pts below the state
  • Reading proficiency 21 pts below the state
  • Graduation rate 9 pts below the state
  • Spends 17% more per student than the CO average
  • 17 students per teacher
  • Enrollment up 15% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $304.5M, about $7,870 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

D: better than 14% of the 169 Colorado school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well below the state, 2021–22
D
GraduationFour-year graduation well below the state, class of 2023
C−
The town it serves, and its School Grade

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Aurora. Grade by grade →

PK–552 elementary schoolsThis district
6–824 middle schoolsThis district
9–1211 high schoolsCherry Creek School District 5

Test scores vs. CO

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency14%
State average 31.8% · 17,904 students tested
Reading / language arts24%
State average 44.9% · 17,888 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)74%
State average 82.7% · 2,446 in the class

92% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$18,657 per student · 17% above CO
Spending
Classroom instruction 48%Support & administration 49%Other 4%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 52%State 38%Federal 10%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
33,642’20
35,188’21
36,323’22
37,392’23
38,691’24

Up 15% since 2020–21.

Students
Hispanic 59%Black 17%White 12%Two or more races 6%Asian 5%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%

Schools in the district

58 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Colorado’s other public schools.

Aurora Central Campus
Other · Grades PK–12 · Aurora
D
2,468 students18:1
Edna and John W. Mosley P-8
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Aurora
C−
994 students17:1
Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Aurora
C+
960 students20:1
Del Mar Academy
Elementary · Grades PK–7 · Aurora
D−
950 students20:1
Harmony Ridge P-8
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Aurora
D
894 students20:1
Murphy Creek K-8 School
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Aurora
B+
855 students17:1
Aurora Frontier K-8
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Aurora
B−
761 students17:1
Rocky Mountain Prep: Fletcher
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D
701 students15:1
Virginia Court Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D
657 students16:1
Kenton Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D−
583 students16:1
Crawford Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D−
567 students16:1
Altura Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D−
527 students18:1
Elkhart Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D
525 students15:1
Side Creek Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D
512 students19:1
Iowa Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D−
502 students17:1
Vassar Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
B−
500 students16:1
Jewell Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
C−
493 students14:1
Yale Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D
492 students18:1
Park Lane Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D−
486 students17:1
Aurora Highlands K-8
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Aurora
472 students15:1
Clyde Miller K-8
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Aurora
D
466 students21:1
Laredo Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D−
449 students18:1
Vaughn Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D
446 students18:1
Arkansas Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
C−
432 students13:1
Dalton Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
C
430 students16:1
Dartmouth Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D
422 students15:1
Boston K-8 School
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Aurora
D−
413 students16:1
Fulton Academy of Excellence
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D
410 students15:1
AXL Academy
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Aurora
D
402 students15:1
Montview Math & Health Sciences Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D−
380 students15:1
Lansing Elementary Community School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D
366 students13:1
Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aurora
D
282 students15:1
Laredo Child Development Center
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Aurora
210 students
Meadowood Child Development Center
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Aurora
166 students
Sable Child Development Center
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Aurora
130 students
Jamaica Child Development Center
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Aurora
106 students
APS Early Beginnings - A Zoom Site
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Aurora
23 students
Lotus School for Excellence
Other · Grades K–12 · Aurora
C−
1,008 students15:1
Global Village Academy Aurora
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Aurora
D
802 students13:1
Vanguard Classical School - East
Other · Grades K–12 · Aurora
D
690 students14:1
Tollgate Elementary School of Expeditionary Learning
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Aurora
D−
601 students18:1
Vega Collegiate Academy
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Aurora
D−
583 students22:1
Aurora Quest K-8
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Aurora
A+
575 students19:1
Aurora Academy Charter School
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Aurora
C+
536 students13:1
Vanguard Classical School - West
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Denver
D−
380 students13:1
Aurora West College Preparatory Academy
High · Grades 6–12 · Aurora
D
927 students20:1
Aurora Hills Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Aurora
D−
821 students17:1
Mrachek Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Aurora
D
811 students20:1
Columbia Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Aurora
C−
636 students18:1
East Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Aurora
D−
634 students26:1
North Middle School Health Sciences and Technology Campus
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Aurora
D−
565 students19:1
Aurora Science & Tech Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Aurora
C
448 students13:1
Rangeview High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Aurora
B
2,078 students20:1
Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory
High · Grades 9–12 · Aurora
B
2,045 students21:1
Gateway High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Aurora
C−
1,748 students21:1
Hinkley High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Aurora
C
1,527 students22:1
Aurora Science & Tech High School
Secondary · Grades 9–11 · Aurora
434 students13:1
William Smith High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Aurora
C+
410 students17:1

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Colorado.