District Successes / Recognitions

A Tradition of Excellence

Consistently scoring among the top of all students from across the metro area on state assessment tests, LPS is the only school district in the metro area to receive the Colorado Department of Education’s prestigious “Accredited with Distinction” rating all eight years it has been awarded. LPS schools annually receive John Irwin School of Excellence and Governor’s Distinguished Improvement awards. LPS has also received the English Language Proficiency Act (ELPA) Excellence Award multiple times—an award created as part of the 2014 Bill amending the English Language Proficiency act.

All three high schools are nationally recognized and have been featured in Newsweek’s “Top High Schools in America” and 5280’s “Best High Schools.” Its high schools boast regional and state champions in athletics, academics, STEM and performing arts. Eighty-five percent of graduates indicate that they plan to attend college or post-secondary education. LPS graduates also earn more than $40 million in college scholarships annually. Such success in high school is possible because of the strong academic foundation built over time in LPS’ elementary and middle schools.

Leading the country in 21st-century learning, more than 12,000 Chromebooks are used by students every day. District teachers are known internationally for their use of instructional technology and students consistently win state and national competitions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

LPS' Finance Department has received the Meritorious Budget Award from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) since the 2000–2001 budget year. LPS has also received the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting for the district's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) every year since 1993.

LPS is ranked #4 in the nation for education/K–12 safety and security. The security industry’s leading trade publication, Security Magazine, has named LPS among the Top 500 security operations around the world. Additionally, the district received the Pinnacle of Achievement Award in Safety and Security Management.

District Awards at a Glance

“Accredited with Distinction” by the Colorado Department of Education all eight times it has been awarded

Among the highest academically achieving school districts in the Denver metro area

Annual recipient of John Irwin School of Excellence awards

Annual recipient of Governor’s Distinguished Improvement awards

Recipient of the ELPA Excellence Award as part of a 2014 Bill amending the English Language Proficiency Act

Home to National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence

Ranked top 20 in the nation in K-12 education for safety and security

Named among the top 500 security operation worldwide by Security Magazine

Recipient of the Pinnacle of Achievement Award in Safety and Security Management

Annual recipient of the Distinguished Budget Award from the Government Finance Officers Association

Annual recipient of the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association and the Association of School Business Officials

Recipient of the Meritorious Budget Award for Preparation and Issuance of the Annual Budget by the Association of School Business Officials

Annual recipient of awards for communications excellence from the Colorado School Public Relations Association

LPS has been Accredited with Distinction – the Colorado Department of Education's highest academic accreditation rating – eight of the last nine years, more than any other Denver metro-area school district!