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Homegrown Denver charter network DSST is expanding its footprint in neighboring Aurora, where a housing boom in the eastern part of the city is creating a need for more schools.
DSST already has one middle and one high school in Aurora, called Aurora Science and Tech. An agreement with Aurora Public Schools calls for DSST to open a second AST middle and high school in the district. The new AST schools will be co-located with a new district-run high school in the growing Aurora Highlands neighborhood.
The new AST middle school would open first, in the fall of 2028. The new district-run Aurora high school would open at the same time. AST would add a grade each year to its Aurora Highlands campus until it’s serving about 980 students in grades 6 through 12.
“A lot of Denver has been built up, but there is a lot of land between here and Bennett that developers are starting to build homes on,” said Brett Johnson, Aurora Public Schools’ chief financial and operations officer. “The need is substantial out there.”
The new AST schools reflect two distinct trends. One is that some Colorado districts, including Aurora, are seeing student counts decrease in some parts of the district and increase in others. While lower birth rates are causing enrollment to fall in established neighborhoods, the construction of affordable homes is causing enrollment to rise in newer neighborhoods.
The other trend is that charter school networks in Denver, which was once a hotbed for charter growth, are looking to expand outside of the city. Denver’s student enrollment is declining, and with little land to build new houses, it’s unlikely that enrollment will increase.
DSST’s latest strategic plan calls for expanding in Aurora and “a potential third market.”
“It is a tremendous gift to be able to educate more families,” said CEO Nella García Urban.
DSST opened its first high school in Denver in 2004. Today, it serves about 7,500 students across 14 schools in Denver — seven middle and seven high schools — and the pair in Aurora. The charter network focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math and is known for producing high state test scores and getting all of its students into college.
Fifteen of DSST’s 16 schools, including the two in Aurora, recently earned the highest state rating, signified by the color green. The ratings are largely based on state test scores.
DSST opened its first Aurora Science and Tech school in 2019. Aurora’s former superintendent invited the high-performing charter network to the district, which was notable because some Aurora school board members had been skeptical of charters.
Aurora Public Schools used voter-approved bond dollars to pay for half of AST’s building, Johnson said. The other half was paid for using a variety of funding mechanisms, including millions of dollars in fundraising by the school district and DSST, he said.
Although Aurora voters approved a record-breaking $1 billion bond measure last year, the district won’t use any bond dollars to pay for AST’s second building, Johnson said. A memorandum of understanding approved by the Aurora school board in June says DSST will cover more of the building costs this time and fundraise at least $8 million.
“The district has been generally pleased with the partnership with AST,” Johnson said. “We are supportive of authorizing an additional school, but financially, we’ll be less able to contribute.”
Aurora is using its $1 billion bond to build two new preschool through eighth grade schools in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood, as well as the new district-run high school. The bond money will also fund upgrades at all of Aurora’s existing schools, a renovation of Gateway High School, and a complete rebuild of Laredo Elementary School.
But there are benefits to AST piggybacking on the district’s new build, Johnson said, namely that Aurora will pay for the infrastructure on the site — think sewer lines and sidewalks. AST and the new district-run high school will also likely share some facilities like a cafeteria or gym.
For Aurora, partnering with AST will cost the district $50,000 less per seat than a brand new building built by the district, according to a district presentation.
García Urban said the current AST schools have waitlists of students who want to attend but can’t because there aren’t enough seats. The new AST schools will help remedy that.
“It’s a good thing, but it also breaks my heart,” García Urban said.
“What we’re doing is really reflective of two education organizations that want to work together to provide an excellent education to more families,” she said.
Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.
