Families

475 families across near Northeast Denver completed Intent to Enroll forms during our chartering process representing 680 children across our community. Families both need and deserve access to high quality public education. The desire is there – the results are not.

The Need

The number one predictor of future academic success in a child’s life is their reading level in 3rd grade. In our near Northeast Denver community, on average, 37 % of students read at or above grade level in this critical grade – the time when children transition from “learning to read to reading to learn.” In Douglas County, a more affluent suburb of Denver, this figure is 82 %. Five years ago, in 2006, these figures were identical. The achievement gap between students from low-income, urban families and their more affluent, suburban peers isn’t closing.

Throughout Near Northeast Denver, considerable desire and need exists for a college-preparatory elementary school option with a no-excuses, results-driven program, particularly focused on literacy. The graph below illustrates the dramatic achievement gap detailed above.

Target Population

University Prep intends to serve students of all backgrounds in grades K – 5 in near Northeast Denver, specifically in the neighborhoods of Cole, Clayton, Elyria, Five Points, Globeville, Skyland, Swansea, and Whittier.

Capacity and Growth

University Prep will open in August 2011 with 56 Kindergarten and 56 1st Grade students. Growing one grade level at a time following our opening, this steady growth will allow us to develop school culture, curriculum, and assessment systems conscientiously and strategically one year at a time. By utilizing a slow-growth model we increase in complexity and size only after building a strong foundation of demanding culture and academic achievement. At full capacity, University Prep will serve approximately 336 students, K – 5.