Original Research by School Decision on Robert F. Smith Steam Academy
Robert F. Smith STEAM Academy is a small regular public high school in Denver, serving grades nine through eleven. It sits within Denver Public Schools, the large urban district that covers the city and county of Denver. The school is named for Robert F. Smith, a prominent philanthropist and investor, and the name signals a focus on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, though no specific program details are available in the data to describe how that focus is implemented.
The school’s enrollment is very small for a high school, and it does not yet serve twelfth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report. The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and students who identify as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a higher-poverty context. No data on English learner or special education populations was available.
State testing results are absent from the data. This gap often reflects the nature of a school — it could be too new to have reported results, or it may serve a grade band that is not tested under state accountability, though Colorado typically tests high school students in select grades. A parent interested in academic performance would want to look into this further with the school, as no proficiency numbers, growth measures, or trend data exist in this profile to evaluate.
Denver, where the school is located, is the state capital and the economic hub of the Rocky Mountain region. The city has a diverse economy spanning telecommunications, aerospace, health care, financial services, and tourism. It is a growing metropolitan area with a dense downtown core and extensive residential neighborhoods. Home values in the school’s zip code area have declined modestly in the past year, but are still above the national median, and rents are high relative to incomes, making Denver a relatively expensive housing market for many families.
Denver Public Schools has undergone several recent changes that may affect families at Robert F. Smith STEAM Academy. In 2024, voters approved a large bond measure for facility improvements and new school construction across the district. A district-wide literacy curriculum shift began in the 2023-2024 school year, though that primarily impacts elementary grades. A new unified enrollment system for school choice launched in 2024-2025, which changes how families apply to and select schools. A mill levy override approved in 2022 increased funding for teacher pay and mental health services.
For a family considering this school, the most salient features are its small size, its focus as a STEAM academy, and the fact that it serves only grades nine through eleven as of this data. The absence of state test results and a graduation rate means there is limited quantitative evidence to gauge academic outcomes. The student body is predominantly Black and low-income, and the school operates within a large urban district with recent infrastructure investments and policy changes. Parents who value a small, specialized school environment in a major city may want to explore further with the school to understand its academic programs, college preparation pathways, and plans for adding a twelfth grade.
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