Charter schools in Colorado
260 open public charter schools in the 2025-26 federal directory, about 129,140 students in 2024-25.
Public charter schools (tuition-free)
Charter schools by town
Each town page lists its own charter schools and the others within 15 miles.
- Denver (56)
- Colorado Springs (37)
- Aurora (18)
- Fort Collins (9)
- Commerce City (7)
- Grand Junction (6)
- Pueblo (6)
- Castle Rock (5)
- Greeley (5)
- Parker (5)
- Windsor (5)
- Arvada (4)
- Brighton (4)
- Broomfield (4)
- Englewood (4)
- Highlands Ranch (4)
- Littleton (4)
- Westminster (4)
- Boulder (3)
- Cortez (3)
- Durango (3)
- Golden (3)
- Lakewood (3)
- Longmont (3)
- Thornton (3)
- Carbondale (2)
- Edwards (2)
- Falcon (2)
- Lafayette (2)
- Loveland (2)
- Milliken (2)
- Pueblo West (2)
- Castle Pines (1)
- Centennial (1)
- Elizabeth (1)
- Erie (1)
- Evans (1)
- Evergreen (1)
- Federal Heights (1)
- Firestone (1)
- Frederick (1)
- Fruita (1)
- Glenwood Springs (1)
- Greenwood Village (1)
- Henderson (1)
- Lone Tree (1)
- Monument (1)
- Northglenn (1)
- Tawoac (1)
- Wheat Ridge (1)
- Wheatridge (1)
- Woodland Park (1)
Online charter schools in Colorado (5)
These schools told the federal survey that most or all of their teaching is online (2024-25). Their address is an office; ask each one which parts of Colorado it enrolls from.
| Charter school | Grades | Students (2024-25) | Per teacher | Town | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOAL AcademyMostly online | 9-12 | 6,693 | 31 | Pueblo | (720) 439-5076 |
| Hope Online Learning Academy Co-OpMostly online | 6-12 | 1,307 | 26.7 | Englewood | (720) 402-3000 |
| TCA College PathwaysMostly online | 7-12 | 502 | 23.1 | Colorado Springs | (719) 488-6294 |
| Colorado Early Colleges Online CampusFully online | 6-12 | 404 | 42.6 | Englewood | (303) 872-3391 |
| Vision Charter AcademyMostly online | K-12 | 311 | 19.2 | Delta | (970) 874-8226 |
Other charter schools in Colorado (17)
Schools in towns without a page of their own, by town.
Who runs and charters them
Networks and districts with the most charter schools in Colorado: School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C (52), State Charter School Institute (48), Jefferson County School District No. R-1 (19), Douglas County School District No. Re 1 (17), El Paso County Colorado School District 49 (10), Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the counties of Adams and A (9), Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the county of E (9), Harrison School District No. 2 in the county of El Paso an (9).
Charter authorizers named most often: School District No. 1 in The County of Denver and State of C (52), State Charter School Institute (48), Jefferson County School District No. R-1 (19), Douglas County School District No. Re 1 (17), El Paso County Colorado School District 49 (10), Aurora Joint District No. 28 of The Counties of Adams and a (9), Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in The County of E (9), Harrison School District No. 2 in The County of El Paso an (9).
Names as the state reported them to the federal directory (2025-26).
Charter schools: how they work
- Public and free. NCES describes a public charter school as a publicly funded school, usually run by a group or organization under a contract (the charter) with the state, the district or another body. The federal definition says a charter school does not charge tuition.
- Families choose it. Under the same definition, a charter school is one parents choose to send their children to, and it admits students by lottery when more apply than it has room for.
- Its own rules, its own accountability. The charter frees the school from some state or local rules; in return it must meet the standards written in its charter. It is nonsectarian.
- No program badge. ChoiceFunded’s program badges and “schools that accept” lists cover private schools only. Charter schools are listed separately here, with no badge, and are never counted with private schools.
Sources: 20 U.S.C. 7221i (federal Charter Schools Program definitions); NCES, Condition of Education: Public Charter School Enrollment. Each state writes its own charter law, so ask the school how enrollment works there.
- Private schools in Colorado (listed separately)
- School choice in Colorado: what is available
- Charter schools in every state
- Colorado next to other states: charter and private school choice
School facts: U.S. Department of Education, Common Core of Data (2025-26 directory, 2024-25 enrollment and staff). Where our data comes from.