Original Research by School Decision on Destinations Career Academy of Colorado
Destinations Career Academy of Colorado is a state-designated alternative school located in Westminster, serving students in upper elementary through high school grades. It is part of the Julesburg School District, though that district is based in a different part of the state, and the school's address sits in Adams County. The school is not a charter or magnet. Its status as an alternative school means it is intended for students who may not thrive in a conventional setting, and this designation shapes nearly everything about what the available data can tell a parent.
Westminster itself is a large suburban city that sprawls across Adams and Jefferson counties north of Denver. It is car‑dependent in character, though a major new mixed‑use development called Downtown Westminster is bringing a more walkable core with housing, retail, and an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. The city has an extensive trail network anchored by the Big Dry Creek Trail and the US 36 Bikeway. Major employers include Ball Corporation, Maxar, and St. Anthony’s North Hospital. The RTD B Line commuter rail connects Westminster Station to downtown Denver. The area has seen substantial growth over recent decades, and the Downtown Westminster project continues to add housing and commercial space.
The school enrolls a moderate number of students. The student body is majority white with a substantial Hispanic presence, and smaller shares of students who are Black, Asian, Native American, or of two or more races. Data on economic disadvantage, special education status, and English learner status were not available in the state records, so a parent wanting to understand the level of student support or the share of families in need should ask the school directly.
State testing data is limited and comes with important caveats. For math and English language arts in grades 3–8, the school reported an average scale score but the proficiency rate was suppressed by the state, and the testing participation rate was very low. Science results at grades 5 and 8 similarly had suppressed proficiency rates and very low participation. Low participation is common in alternative or online school settings where students take state assessments in person, but it means that the results that are reported do not offer a reliable picture of overall academic performance. A parent considering this school should look into how the school prepares students for state testing and what its own internal measures of progress look like.
Because the school serves high school grades and is an alternative school, a four‑year graduation rate was not available in the data. Families who are concerned about completion and post‑secondary transition should seek that information directly from the school. The school’s name emphasizes career pathways, but the data provided does not list any specific programs, dual‑credit offerings, or industry certifications. Whether the career focus is realized through coursework, partnerships, or work‑based learning is something a prospective family would need to verify.
The lack of data on discipline, staffing, attendance, and course access means that a parent cannot assess the school’s climate, teacher turnover, or student engagement from this record. These are all gaps that matter for an alternative school setting, where individualized support is often a key selling point.
Overall, Destinations Career Academy of Colorado is an alternative school that appears to serve a nontraditional student population, likely through a virtual or blended model given the very low in‑person testing participation. It sits in a large suburban city with strong economic anchors and ongoing development, but it draws from a district that is geographically distant. The academic evidence from state assessments is too thin to judge proficiency or growth. A parent who is exploring this school should ask specific questions about how students are assessed, what career programs are actually available, what the graduation and post‑school outcomes look like, and how the school supports students whose learning style or circumstances make a conventional school a poor fit.
See more original research from School Decision →