Charter Schools in the Works

There is another very healthy crop of new charter school applicants in development. Most of these schools will seek approval to open their doors in 2010. Here are a few of the new applicants:

Prospect Ridge Academy in Erie. This is a proposed K-12 Core Knowledge/Liberal Arts school. It'll start with an elementary school and grow through 12th grade. The school is designed to alleviate some of the waiting list at Peak to Peak and Flagstaff Academy. Flagstaff was initially approved to be in Erie, but ended up in Longmont due to an available facility. Several individuals from established Core Knowledge charter schools are on the Prospect Ridge design team.

Stagecoach Charter School in the South Routt School District. is K-6 charter school plans to use the Core Knowledge curriculum along with Montessori and Waldorf methodologies to create an individualized education. The founding group of parents came together after the school district declined to open a new elementary school in Stagecoach and thus young students were being transported to Steamboat Springs and other areas.

STEM High School and Middle School in the south metro Denver area. This will be a 6-12 grade school with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and modeled after California's successful High Tech High and Denver's School of Science and Technology. Students will be encouraged to take at least two Advanced Placement courses and 4.5 years of science will be required for graduation. Many of the Core Knowledge K-8 charter schools in Douglas County have become involved in this project.