The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Science. The lowest is 68% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on American Academy
American Academy is a public charter school in Castle Pines serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It operates within the Douglas County School District, and its enrollment of roughly that size for its grade band makes it one of the larger schools in the area. The student body is predominantly white, with a sizable Asian-American population and smaller shares of students who are Hispanic, two or more races, Black, or American Indian or Alaska Native. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the overall affluence of the surrounding community. Castle Pines is an affluent, fast-growing suburb south of Denver along I-25, with a median household income well above national averages, a car-dependent layout, and no traditional downtown. The city was incorporated only recently and has seen rapid population growth, with the city itself describing an environment of “world-class new development opportunities.”
Academically, American Academy posts strong results on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success. Across grades three through eight, the school’s proficiency rates in both math and English language arts are well above the statewide average. In science, proficiency rates at both the fifth-grade and eighth-grade levels are also high. The school’s participation rates on these assessments are at high levels, lending confidence to the results. Because the school serves only through eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report, and no data on college readiness measures such as SAT or AP participation. A parent looking for a high school program would need to consider the district options beyond this charter.
The school benefits from a set of district-level investments that have come in recent years. Voters approved a mill levy override in 2022, the district’s first in over a decade, funding teacher compensation and mental health support. In 2024, voters passed a bond and a second mill levy override, together funding new school construction in growing areas, safety upgrades, technology, and teacher recruitment and retention, all structured so the tax rate does not increase because prior bonds are retiring. The district also adopted a new evidence-based literacy curriculum across all elementary schools, shifting reading instruction toward phonics and phonemic awareness, which will shape instruction for years to come.
The comparison set within Douglas County is too small to place American Academy relative to peer districts or schools on test proficiency or other common metrics, so no such positioning is available from the data. The state testing data itself is clear and recent, and the school’s performance on it is a strong indicator.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a large, high-performing charter in a wealthy, fast-growing suburban area. The school’s academic results are a clear strength across tested subjects and grades. The population it serves is economically advantaged on the whole. The district context shows recent and sustained investment in staffing, safety, and facilities. Because the school ends at eighth grade, families will need to plan for the high school transition separately. The community around the school is car-dependent and growing rapidly, with extensive park and trail systems but no pedestrian downtown. A parent whose priority is proven academic performance in a pre-high school setting within an affluent, expanding suburb will find this school a natural fit.
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