Aurora Central Campus is an alternative public school serving grades PK-12 in Aurora, Colorado, which is part of the Aurora Joint District No. 28, a low-performing district with a 0-star rating. The school has a diverse student population, with a majority Hispanic enrollment (over 68%) and a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students (over 82% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch).
Despite serving a high-need population, Aurora Central Campus consistently underperforms the district and state averages on standardized tests across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in 2023-2024, only 3% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in SAT Mathematics, compared to 14% for the district and 31% for the state. The performance gap between Aurora Central Campus and the district/state averages appears to be widening over time, and the school has not shown significant improvement in test scores in recent years. Nearby charter schools, such as Vanguard Classical School - East and Lotus School for Excellence, generally outperform Aurora Central Campus on academic measures, even though they serve similar demographic populations.
The stark performance differences between Aurora Central Campus and the surrounding schools, despite serving similar student populations, raise questions about equity and access to quality education. The persistent underperformance of Aurora Central Campus compared to the district and state, as well as the success of nearby alternative schools, suggests the need for a comprehensive review and implementation of evidence-based strategies to support the academic and social-emotional needs of the students at Aurora Central Campus.
Aurora Joint District No. 28
Aurora Central Campus ranks 628th of 943 Colorado alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.
Students at Aurora Central Campus are 68% Hispanic, 17% African American, 7% White, 3% Asian, 3% Two or more races, 1% Pacific Islander, 1% American Indian.
In the 2022-23 school year, 2,084 students attended Aurora Central Campus.