City: Denver, CO

Category: Education

Telephone: (303) 344-8060

Address: 15701 E. 1st Ave.

Description: Aurora Public Schools covers most of Aurora, which is Metro Denver’s second-­largest city. The district’s mission is to develop its kids into “lifelong learners who value themselves, contribute to their community, and succeed in a changing world.”Strong emphasis is placed on student achievement in basic subjects. The district is committed to preparing students for life in the 21st century by helping them become self-­directed learners, collaborative workers, complex thinkers, community contributors, and quality producers. Special services and classes are offered for gifted and talented students, special-­education students, and non-­English-­speaking young parents, preschoolers, and adults. The Aurora district has a total of 34 elementary schools, seven middle schools, and eight high schools, three of which are alternative high schools. There are also three charter schools, a vocational school, and several specialty alternative schools. Special classes in 50 skill areas are offered within the district at the T. H. Pickens Technical Center, 500 Airport Blvd., Aurora. Some programs offer credit toward an associate degree from the Community College of Aurora. The district has been designated by School Match, an international business relocation firm, as one of 50 in Colorado to provide “what parents want.”