The top reported proficiency rate is 6% in English language arts. The lowest is 1% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Aurora West College Preparatory Academy
Aurora West College Preparatory Academy is a regular public school serving grades six through twelve in the Aurora Joint District No. 28 (Adams-Arapahoe 28J). The school sits within the city of Aurora, a large and sprawling suburb of Denver that has been one of the state’s fastest-growing cities. Aurora lacks a single walkable downtown; it is built around highways, subdivisions, and major employment hubs such as Buckley Space Force Base and the Anschutz Medical Campus. The district as a whole recently approved a bond measure for facility improvements and school modernization, and it has also undertaken a consolidation and repurposing of underutilized buildings—a shift that may affect school assignments and feeder patterns in the coming years.
Enrollment at Aurora West College Preparatory Academy reaches into the hundreds, with a student body that is heavily Hispanic and includes substantial shares of students who identify as Black and Asian. The proportion of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals is very high, reflecting a community with significant economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the state-reported figures, so a full picture of the school’s special population support is not clear from this record.
State testing results are available for math and English language arts for the most recent school year. The proficiency rates are extremely low in both subjects—a very small fraction of students met state standards on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success. Science results for eighth grade were suppressed to protect student privacy, but the average scale score for that subject was also below the range typically considered proficient. When compared with other districts in Arapahoe County, this school’s overall proficiency index lands in the bottom quartile. Because the school includes high school grades, a graduation rate would normally be a key indicator, but that figure was not reported in the data provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its graduation outcomes and postsecondary readiness.
The school’s name includes “College Preparatory Academy,” but no specific information about advanced coursework, career and technical education, or dual-credit programs was available in the data. A family interested in the breadth of academic pathways might need to contact the school to learn what is actually offered.
Housing in the surrounding area is somewhat more affordable than the Colorado statewide benchmark, with home values estimated below the state median and rents that consume a notable share of household income. This aligns with Aurora’s character as a large, car-dependent city where residents often commute to Denver-area jobs. The school’s grade span—middle school through high school—means a student can stay in one building for seven years, which may appeal to families seeking continuity.
Given the very low proficiency rates observed, a parent would want to understand what academic supports and interventions the school provides and how it measures progress for students at all levels. The school serves a high-need population, and the district is in a period of facility investment and restructuring. This is not a school where typical state test scores indicate strong academic performance, but a fuller evaluation would require looking at additional measures such as growth data, program availability, and the school’s own account of its mission and outcomes.
See more original research from School Decision →