Original Research by School Decision on New America School
New America School is a small charter alternative high school in Lakewood, a large, predominantly suburban city immediately west of Denver. It serves grades nine through twelve and is part of Jefferson County School District R-1, the sprawling district that covers most of the county. The school is classified as an alternative school, meaning it is designed for students who may not thrive in a traditional high school setting—often those who are credit-deficient, need flexible schedules, or seek a second chance to earn a diploma. The building sits on West Alameda Avenue, a major east-west arterial that cuts through the city’s mid-century strip-commercial corridors.
The student body is small, with enrollment concentrated in the upper grades, particularly the senior class, which is the largest group. The demographic profile is heavily Hispanic, with a small share of white students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a community with significant economic need. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the supports it provides in those areas.
State testing results are absent from the available record. Because this is an alternative school serving grades nine through twelve, the lack of assessment data may simply mean that the school’s testing cohort was too small to report or that state accountability measures treat alternative schools differently. A parent interested in academic performance measures should ask the school for its own internal data or for any state reports that are available. No graduation rate appears in the data either—again, likely because the school falls outside the standard accountability framework for alternative settings. The school’s graduation rate is not available for comparison relative to other districts in Jefferson County.
Lakewood itself is a built-out, autocentric suburb that grew rapidly in the mid-20th century and has since shifted to incremental redevelopment. The Denver Federal Center, the largest concentration of federal agencies outside Washington, D.C., is a major employer, along with Jefferson County Schools, St. Anthony Hospital, and a handful of corporate headquarters. The city has a walkable node at Belmar, a former shopping mall redeveloped into a mixed-use district, but the overall street pattern remains suburban and car-dependent. Housing costs in the area are near the national benchmark for home values, while rents have been trending slightly downward. The monthly cost of owning a home is above the national median income-to-price ratio, making renting the more affordable option for many households.
Jefferson County School District has undergone notable governance and operational changes recently. In 2024, voters approved a bond measure for capital improvements and technology upgrades—the first bond passed since the early 2000s. The same election saw the recall of three school board members amid community frustration over transparency and a proposed plan to close sixteen schools. That plan was reversed after pushback, but a consolidation committee continues to study enrollment trends and possible closures. For families at New America School, which operates independently under a charter, the district’s broader shifts in leadership and funding may affect resources but are less likely to directly alter the school’s day-to-day operation than they would for a traditional neighborhood school.
Given the limited data, this school will appeal to a specific type of family: one looking for an alternative setting, with a smaller, older student body, where many students are working to complete high school on a nontraditional timeline. The high share of students from low-income households suggests the school is attuned to the needs of that population, but the absence of test scores, graduation rates, and program descriptions means a prospective parent will need to visit and ask detailed questions about academic pathways, postsecondary preparation, and the school’s track record.
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