The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in English language arts. The lowest is 43% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Charter Academy
Lincoln Charter Academy is a public charter school in Arvada serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, part of the Jefferson County School District R-1. The school is within Olde Town Arvada, the city’s historic center, which offers shops, restaurants, and a commuter rail transit hub connecting to Denver. Arvada itself is a predominantly residential suburb that grew rapidly after World War II, with wide commercial corridors like Wadsworth Boulevard. The city has extensive off-street trails, parks, and civic anchors such as the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities. Real estate values in the area around the school are well above national medians, and renting a home has a cost that is a modest share of a typical local household income. Housing prices in this part of Jefferson County have softened slightly in recent years.
The school enrolls a large student body for a PK-8 campus, with enrollment tapering from a notably large kindergarten cohort through the upper grades. The student population is predominantly white, with a moderate share of Hispanic students, and smaller shares of students who are two or more races, Asian, or Black. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the share of students receiving special education services or English learner support was not available.
Lincoln Charter Academy operates with a participation rate on state assessments that is above the threshold for federal reporting, providing a reliable read of its results. On the Colorado Measures of Academic Success math assessment, proficiency for all tested students sits at a rate that falls short of the state levels for this grade band. In English language arts, the school’s proficiency rate is notably stronger, reaching above the statewide average for these grades. Science results are reported at two grade levels: at fifth grade, proficiency is roughly in line with the math result, while at eighth grade, proficiency is the school’s highest measured outcome, reaching a level comparable to the English language arts rate. The evidence suggests a school where literacy skills are a relative strength, and where math achievement is an area a parent may want to look into further with the school. The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate is reported.
No information was available about the school’s specific programs, course offerings, or staffing. The school’s charter status means it operates with some autonomy from the district in areas such as curriculum and staffing decisions, and families choose to enroll here, drawn by the school’s particular approach.
The Jefferson County district itself has been in flux. Voters approved a major bond measure in 2024 for capital and technology upgrades, the first such bond in many years. The district also recently adopted a new literacy curriculum across all elementary schools, aligning with state reading requirements. More consequential for families, the district announced a plan to close a number of schools due to declining enrollment, reversed that decision after community backlash, and instead formed a committee to study consolidation options. That ongoing process means families throughout Jeffco face uncertainty about future school closures and boundary adjustments. Adding to the governance shift, three school board members were recalled in November 2024 and replaced in an election that turned on transparency and the handling of consolidation plans. Lincoln Charter Academy, as a charter school within this district, may be less directly affected by school closure plans than traditional neighborhood schools, but the broader district direction bears watching for any family considering enrollment here.
For a family considering Lincoln Charter Academy, the picture is one of a school with clear literacy outcomes, a large and predominantly white student body, and a suburban setting in a historic Arvada neighborhood with strong civic amenities. The test data shows a school where English language arts results are a clear strength, while math results are an area of weaker performance that a parent would want to better understand. The current district context adds a layer of uncertainty about long-term district direction that is relevant for families planning to remain within Jeffco through their child’s school years.
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