Original Research by School Decision on Respect Academy
Respect Academy is a small alternative high school serving grades nine through twelve in Denver, part of the School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C, commonly known as Denver Public Schools. The school sits on South Federal Boulevard in Denver’s southwest side, in a city that functions as the principal commercial, industrial, and transportation hub for the Rocky Mountain West, with a dense downtown core, a major airport, and a sprawling metropolitan area that has seen sustained population growth.
The student body is small and concentrated in the upper grades, with most students in eleventh and twelfth grade and only a handful recorded in tenth grade; no ninth graders were reported among the enrollment count. The composition is heavily Hispanic, with a very small number of white students and a trace of American Indian or Alaska Native and two-or-more-races students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the availability of special education services and language supports.
Because Respect Academy is an alternative school, the typical academic accountability measures do not apply in the same way. State testing data was not available for this school, and no proficiency index was computed for the comparison against other Denver County schools. Similarly, a four-year graduation rate was not reported. Alternative schools often serve students who have struggled in traditional settings, and for that reason, standard testing and graduation metrics may not capture the full picture of the school’s mission or student progress. A parent considering this school should seek information from the school about how it measures student outcomes, credit recovery, or post-graduation plans.
The school is not a charter school, and no magnet status was recorded. Information about course access, discipline, staffing, and attendance was not available in the data, leaving several practical questions about the school day, class size, and behavioral climate unanswered.
Denver Public Schools has undertaken several notable changes in recent years that affect the district as a whole. Voters approved a record-sized bond measure in late 2024 for facility improvements, safety upgrades, technology, and new school construction. A district-wide literacy curriculum aligned with the science of reading was implemented starting in the 2023-2024 school year. A new unified enrollment system for school choice was launched for the 2024-2025 school year, changing how families apply to schools. And a mill levy override approved in 2022 is funding increased teacher pay and expanded mental health services. These district-level investments may influence resources and staffing available at Respect Academy.
Housing in the area has seen modest softening, with home values and rents both trending down slightly compared with a year ago, though both remain higher than national benchmarks. The cost of a mortgage in this zip code is estimated to be notably higher than the typical rent, making homeownership less accessible relative to renting for many households.
For a family evaluating Respect Academy, the school’s identity as an alternative high school with a small, tightly banded upper-grade enrollment and a heavily Hispanic, economically disadvantaged student body suggests it is designed for students who may need a different academic environment than a large comprehensive high school offers. The absence of testing and graduation data means the school’s academic record is not visible through the usual public metrics, and a parent would likely need to visit, speak with staff, and understand the school’s specific mission, curriculum, and track record with its students.
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