Cherry Creek Academy

What Cherry Creek Academy does

Cherry Creek Academy (CCA) is a parent-governed, nonprofit K-8 public charter school founded in 1995 in Englewood, Colorado, operating under a charter contract with the Cherry Creek School District. The school delivers a core academic program built around the Core Knowledge Sequence Curriculum—a coherent, cumulative content outline spanning language arts, history, geography, mathematics, science, and fine arts—augmented by the Into Math K-8 program (implemented Fall 2024), i-Ready diagnostic assessments, and a Chromebook 1:1 program with Securly content filtering. The school runs 1,274 instructional hours annually, several days longer than district and state averages, and embeds a character education program alongside mandatory uniforms and parental volunteer expectations.

The business model is structured as a public charter school that charges no tuition and derives primary funding from per-pupil revenue (PPR) distributed by Cherry Creek School District, which may retain up to 5% for administrative costs. Secondary revenue streams include fee-based extracurricular programs (athletics at $150 per sport, band at $100, drama at $100, chess at $220, mathletes $40-$90 by grade, extended tutorial at $60 monthly) and transaction-based services such as the Champions fee-based after-school childcare program. Supplementary funding flows through the CCA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that conducts an annual Fun Run and accepts charitable contributions, plus PTO-led fundraising. Total enrollment is capped by a 5% limit on out-of-district students, with sibling and employee children receiving priority on a waitlist whose average admission wait is 3-5 years; admissions are managed through the SchoolMint online platform.

CCA's operations sit within a broader governance and partnership ecosystem. The school is overseen by a parent Board of Directors with committee structures, and the Facilities Inc entity holds the campus real estate since Colorado charter schools cannot directly own property. Strategic partnerships include Cherry Creek School District (authorizer), SchoolMint (admissions technology), Lands' End (exclusive uniform supplier via school code 900204934), and the Colorado League of Charter Schools (advocacy). The school currently employs approximately 67 staff across academic, administrative, and operational roles and is executing a campus expansion project (groundbreaking October 2025) adding a two-story Middle School wing with construction partners G.H. Phipps Construction, RTA Architects, and CBRE.

Name

Cherry Creek Academy

Legal name

Cherry Creek Academy

Website

https://cherrycreekacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cherry Creek Academy is a nonprofit K-8 public charter school in Englewood, Colorado, founded in 1995 and serving Cherry Creek School District families with a Core Knowledge curriculum, character education, and extracurricular programs funded primarily by per-pupil revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter STEM/STEAM-Focused Schools (EDAJACAG)

Keywords

• Charter school education
• K-8 education
• Core knowledge curriculum
• Public charter school
• Elementary education

Headquarters

HQ city

Englewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil Revenue (PPR): Public charter schools receive per pupil revenue on the same basis as other public school students enrolled in the Cherry Creek School District. Districts may retain up to 5% of charter school students' PPR for actual administrative costs.
2. Activity and Program Fees: Fee-based programs including athletics ($150 per sport), band ($100), drama club ($100), extended tutorial ($60), chess club ($220), and mathletes ($40-$90 depending on grade). Champions after-school childcare is also fee-based.
3. Foundation and PTO Fundraising: The CCA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that provides ongoing financial support through charitable contributions and annual Fun Run fundraiser. The PTO conducts fall auctions and various fundraising activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cherry Creek Academy is a tuition-free public charter school serving K-8 students in the Cherry Creek School District, delivering academic instruction through the Core Knowledge Sequence curriculum with Into Math and i-Ready diagnostic tools. The school provides a longer instructional year (1,274 hours), mandatory uniforms, a character education program, and a broad set of specials, athletics, and clubs, while running the Professional Learning Institute to support teacher licensure.

Product overview

Cherry Creek Academy operates as a single-site K-8 public charter school offering a unified educational program built around the Core Knowledge curriculum. The core offering is its academic K-8 education program, supplemented by specials classes (Art, Music, Computers/Technology, Library/Media, Physical Education), athletics for grades 5-8, diverse clubs and organizations, the Champions fee-based after school childcare program, and the Professional Learning Institute for teacher development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-8 Academic Education

Quantifiable outcome

• #2 Colorado Charter Elementary Schools (U.S. News & World Report)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• G.H. Phipps ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor for CCA's campus expansion project including new two-story Middle School addition and renovations. Partnered with RTA Architects and CBRE for the multi-phase construction project initiated in October 2025.
• RTA ArchitectscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm leading the design of CCA's campus expansion project including new Middle School wing and learning stair areas.
• CBREcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction management partner for CCA's campus expansion project.
• Way to Go (DRCOG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederally funded program of Denver Regional Council of Governments providing Schoolpool carpool matching service to CCA families. Each family receives email invitation in July with free registration to connect with other families for school transportation.
• SchoolMintcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline waitlist application platform used by CCA for managing admissions and waitlist. Families use ccaccsd.schoolmint.com for waitlist applications.
• Lands' EndcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive uniform provider for CCA. Families purchase uniforms through Lands' End online store. School code 900204934 identifies CCA for uniform purchases.
• ChampionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFee-based after school childcare program offered to CCA parents from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM as a service to the community.
• Colorado Music InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecommended by CCA band director for instrument rentals and private lessons for band students. Located close to the school for student convenience.
• Colorado League of Charter SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership organization supporting charter schools at state level through resources, advocacy, and public relations assistance. CCA is a proud member.
• Cherry Creek School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorizing school district for CCA charter. CCA follows CCSD direction for weather delays/closures and collaborates on gifted and talented identification.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Great Hearts Academies: Multi-state charter management organization operating classical liberal arts academies across the Southwest and beyond. Comparable as a broader classical-education charter operator with shared philosophical emphasis on Core Knowledge-style content and character formation.
• BASIS Charter Schools: National charter school network known for highly rigorous academic outcomes, advanced coursework, and top-tier rankings across multiple states. Comparable as a broader charter school brand in the rigorous-K-12 charter category, though BASIS operates as a network rather than single site.

Direct peers

• American Academy: Charter K-8 school in Lone Tree, Colorado serving the south Denver metro area with a classical liberal arts and Core Knowledge-aligned curriculum. Most directly comparable peer given similar grade span, charter structure, academic philosophy, and proximity to CCA's enrollment catchment.
• Prospect Ridge Academy: Charter K-8 school in Broomfield, Colorado offering Core Knowledge curriculum with rigorous academics and character development. Directly comparable on grade span, Core Knowledge alignment, charter status, and Denver metro proximity.
• Peak to Peak Charter School: Charter K-12 school in Lafayette, Colorado with consistently high rankings, rigorous academics, and lottery-based admissions with waitlists. Comparable on charter structure, academic rigor, Colorado geography, and demand-driven enrollment dynamics.
• Challenge School: Highly-ranked charter school in the Cherry Creek area serving gifted and high-achieving students K-8. Comparable on grade span, Cherry Creek-adjacent location, charter structure, and rigorous academic model.
• Liberty Common School: Charter K-12 school in Fort Collins, Colorado with explicit Core Knowledge curriculum alignment, classical education philosophy, and lottery admissions. Closest philosophical peer to CCA given shared Core Knowledge curriculum focus and charter K-12 structure.
• Aspen Academy: Independent charter K-8 school in Greenwood Village, Colorado with a rigorous academic curriculum and character education focus. Comparable to CCA on grade span, metro-area location, charter structure, and emphasis on whole-child education.
• Stargate Charter School: Charter K-8 school in Thornton, Colorado with strong academic outcomes, gifted programming, and a long-running waitlist model. Highly comparable on grade span, charter K-8 structure, academic rigor, and demand-driven growth dynamics.
• Ridgeview Classical Schools: Charter K-12 school in Fort Collins, Colorado offering a classical liberal arts curriculum with strong academic outcomes. Comparable on charter structure, classical/rigorous academic philosophy, and Colorado-based operations.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cca_k8
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_EYLV89TjGOy__wGdMDHQg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ccak8
• Instagraminstagram.com/cherry_creek_academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cherry Creek Academy