Original Research by School Decision on Colorado's Finest High School of Choice
Colorado's Finest High School of Choice operates as an alternative school within Englewood School District No. 1, serving grades nine through twelve. Its designation as a school of choice signals a model built for students who may thrive outside a traditional comprehensive high school setting, whether by design or circumstance. The enrollment is small, with about two hundred students spread across all four high school grades. Just over half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic share and smaller numbers of students from other racial backgrounds. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the source materials, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the supports available for those populations.
The school sits in Englewood, a city that is a mix of residential neighborhoods, a major hospital district, light industrial areas, and a revived downtown anchored by the CityCenter transit-oriented development. Englewood has a walkable core around light rail, a free trolley, and the South Platte River trail system. Much of the city's housing stock dates to the early-to-mid 20th century, with the newer Hampden Hills area offering many apartment complexes and higher property values. Housing values in the area have seen a modest dip recently, though remain above national benchmarks, and rents are also slightly down. The district recently passed a bond measure for school improvements, adopted standards-based grading in middle and high schools, and introduced limited in-district school choice, so families have some flexibility to choose within the district.
State testing data for Colorado's Finest High School of Choice was not present in the information reviewed. Similarly, the four-year graduation rate and chronic absenteeism rate were not available for the school, and the comparison against districts in Arapahoe County could not be made for these metrics. Because this is an alternative school, the absence of such data may reflect that these measures do not apply in the same way they would for a conventional high school, but a parent or guardian should confirm with the school what academic progress and completion data they track and share.
The school's alternative status and small size suggest it is designed for a specific student audience. Without test scores or a graduation rate in the record, families considering this school would want to understand its programming, course offerings, postsecondary pathways, and student support systems by visiting or speaking with staff. The school website was not included in the data provided, so that contact would need to come from the district.
Colorado's Finest High School of Choice sits within a district that has made recent investments in facilities and assessment practices, and in a city with a diversified economy led by healthcare and transit-accessible redevelopment. For a student who needs a different structure or setting for high school, this school may be a viable option in Englewood. The open question remains what specific pathways and outcomes it delivers, something the available data could not show.
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