Aurora Academy Charter School

What Aurora Academy Charter School does

Aurora Academy Charter School is a tuition-free public K-8 charter school located at 10251 E. 1st Ave in Aurora, Colorado, serving approximately 540 students annually since opening in fall 2000 as the first charter school authorized by the Aurora Public School District. The school delivers the Core Knowledge curriculum — a grade-by-grade, explicit content sequence developed by E.D. Hirsch Jr. that spirals across K-8 — covering language arts, mathematics, history, civics, geography, science, art, music, technology, and physical education, and integrates the Accelerated Reader program for reading comprehension tracking. Supplemental programs include Exceptional Student Services (special education), English Language Development via the EL Achieve curriculum, Gifted & Talented differentiated instruction, K-8 counseling, athletics (grades 5-8 in the Denver Metro League since 2019), and the National Junior Honor Society.

Revenue is generated primarily through per-pupil state and district funding under the charter contract with Aurora Public Schools, supplemented by donations and fundraising (including PayPal donations), athletic participation fees, and National School Lunch Program meal reimbursement. The school does not receive facility funding from the district, so a measurable share of operating funds is directed to facility needs. Governance rests with a volunteer board of nine parents, and families are contractually embedded through mandatory volunteer hours (40 for two-parent families, 20 for single-parent), which produces more than 13,500 volunteer hours annually and a 90% K-8 retention rate. Marketing and enrollment are community-led via the school website (aacademy.org), parent information sessions, open houses, the weekly Falcon Flash newsletter, and social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube).

The institution is recognized by the Colorado Department of Education as a School of Distinction and is a three-time recipient of the Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award for high rates of student assessment growth. Headcount is in the 51-100 range, with leadership including Executive Director Amy Tracy (since 2015), Middle School Principal Richard Wade, grade-band principals for K-2 and 3-5, a Business Manager, and dedicated coordinators for Gifted & Talented, counseling, health, and Title IX compliance.

Name

Aurora Academy Charter School

Legal name

Aurora Academy Charter School

Website

https://aacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Aurora Academy Charter School is a tuition-free public K-8 charter school in Aurora, Colorado, serving roughly 540 students annually with a Core Knowledge curriculum, funded primarily by per-pupil state and district allocations and supplemented by donations and athletic fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site) (EDAJACAB)

Keywords

• K-8 charter school
• Public school education
• Core Knowledge curriculum
• Special education services
• Tuition-free education

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora, CO

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Per Pupil Funding: Charter school receives per-pupil funding from the state and Aurora Public School district, similar to other public schools. A measurable percentage of operating funds pays for facility needs as charter schools do not receive facility support from the district.
2. Donations and Fundraising: School actively seeks opportunities to raise additional funds through donations and fundraising programs to meet facilities and program needs.
3. Athletic Participation Fees: Fee-based participation in athletics program for students in grades 5-8; requires payment of participation fee along with physical exam and consent forms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Aurora Academy Charter School is a tuition-free K-8 public charter school delivering Core Knowledge curriculum-based instruction to approximately 540 students annually in Aurora, Colorado. The school supplements its core academics with specialized services including Exceptional Student Services, English Language Development, Gifted & Talented programming, school counseling, athletics, and the National Junior Honor Society. Operational support includes free breakfast and lunch through the National School Lunch Program and after-school enrichment through Innovation Learning and partner-led clubs.

Product overview

Aurora Academy Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school serving Kindergarten through 8th grade students since 2000. The school operates as a single-site educational institution offering a Core Knowledge curriculum as its foundational academic program, supplemented by specialized services including Exceptional Student Services (special education), English Language Development, Gifted & Talented programming, and comprehensive counseling. The school provides athletics (grades 5-8), the National Junior Honor Society, nutrition services, and after-school enrichment programs. All offerings function as integrated components of the K-8 educational experience rather than separate product lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of students stay with the school to complete their elementary and middle school education
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and support.

• Denver Metro LeaguemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Athletics league membership since 2019; provides competitive sports opportunities for grades 5-8 including volleyball, basketball, soccer, flag football, cross country, and cheer; participates in regular season games and post-season competitions.
• Aurora Public School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharter authorizer; Aurora Academy is chartered through Aurora Public Schools district and operates as a school of choice under a charter contract. The district provides per-pupil funding and oversight while the school maintains autonomy in curriculum and operations.
• Clothes to Kids of DenversupportOthersCommunity resource partner providing free clothing to students in need; students receive 5 outfits, 1 coat, 1 pair of shoes, and underwear/socks twice per year when qualified.
• Innovation LearningsupportOthersAfterschool program provider offering extended learning and enrichment activities for students beyond regular school hours.
• Aurora Public Schools Nutrition ServicessupportOthersProvides breakfast and lunch nutrition services; administers National School Lunch Program offering free meals to all students.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aurora-academy-charter-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Aurora Academy Charter School