Welcome
Introduction to Littleton Prep
Littleton Preparatory Charter School is a publicly funded, tuition-free* charter school in northwest Littleton. Founded in 1998, our school serves students from Littleton and the entire metro area. The mission of Littleton Prep is to provide a content-rich, academically-rigorous education with a well-defined, sequential curriculum in a safe, orderly and caring environment. Our purpose is to inspire children to develop a passion for learning to prepare them for future success.
In case you’re not familiar with charter schools, please be aware that charter schools are public schools – with a difference. They are public schools of choice and authorize parents and educators to create new, innovative, and more flexible ways of educating children within the public educational system.
Student academic achievement is the primary goal of Littleton Prep. Students must first master the fundamentals to achieve mastery of higher-level skills. We define mastery as the ability to demonstrate knowledge and skills repeatedly and accurately. This requires repeated instruction in the subject matter, increasing degree of challenge and considerable practice. Student mastery of the core academic subjects with advancement to more challenging materials is central to the concept of Littleton Prep. Some of the features of Littleton Prep are:
- An academically rigorous curriculum with definite academic goals and topics for each grade, guided by the Colorado Academic Standards and the nationally respected Core Knowledge sequence,
- A positive discipline program (with school uniforms) that encourages student safety, respect and dignity in teacher-directed classrooms,
- A school uniform and dress code policy are in place which helps students focus on learning by reducing distractions, disruptions and disciplinary problems,
- A precision placement system that enables students with varying skills and abilities to be appropriately challenged.
Some students come to our charter school lacking skills in reading, math, spelling and English. Other parents seek us out because their child is above grade level and they are looking for a school to challenge him or her to reach their maximum potential. Happily, Littleton Prep is able to accommodate both types of students, which makes our school unique.
Littleton Prep has successfully operated as a charter school for twenty one years. Demand for the school is strong, as evidenced by waiting lists for enrollment in nine out of nine grades offered (K-8). Littleton Prep is located near district boundaries with Jefferson, Sheridan, Denver and Englewood school districts. Seventeen percent of our student population qualifies for the free and reduced lunch program. Our ethnic composition is 3% Asian, 1% Black or African American, 20% Hispanic/Latino, 6% Two or more races and 70% White. Littleton Prep provides a choice for parents who want a content-rich, academically rigorous traditional education for their children.
Littleton Prep is organized as a Colorado non-profit corporation. Unlike regular public schools, charter schools are governed by a board that is elected by the parents of students. Our Governing Board is comprised of five members consisting of parents, guardians and community members. Governing Board members serve staggered three year terms and may serve no more that two terms.
Enrollment in Littleton Prep is open to all students. Actually, the majority of our students are from neighboring districts such as Denver, Jefferson County, Englewood, Cherry Creek, Sheridan and Douglas County.
Littleton Preparatory Charter School is a school of choice. We don’t pretend to offer all things to all people. However, if you’re seeking an alternative to regular public education – for a school that strives for excellence in academics and conduct – then we think you’ve come to the right place.
The web site will tell you more about our school. We encourage you to visit the school and see for yourself what we have to offer.
Charter School Facts
Did you know that…..
- The charter school movement began with a single school in Minnesota 19 years ago. Today, more than 1.5 million children are enrolled in over 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia
- In Colorado, nearly 101,000 students attend over 200 charter schools, making up almost 13% of the total K-12 public school enrollment in the state.
- A charter school is a public school of choice. They are an independent, semi-autonomous public school created under Colorado’s Charter Schools Act of 1993. Charter schools operate under a contract with a local school district (in our case, Littleton Public Schools), or the State of Colorado Charter Institute, to provide education choices for families. Charter schools authorize parents and educators to take responsible risks and create new, innovative, and more flexible ways of educating children within the public educational system. Charter schools were founded on the belief that one size does not fit all.
- Charter schools are usually run by a parent-based governing board elected by the parents and guardians of enrolled students. At Littleton Prep, elections are held every May to fill openings on the governing board. Parents and grandparents tend to be more involved in decision-making and spend more time volunteering at charter schools. Last year Littleton Prep’s parents logged over 9,000 volunteer hours.
- Charter school academic programs utilize a wide variety of models. Each Charter school has a unique focus and selects their own curriculum design so they can establish achievement-oriented cultures and choose staff to best support these structures. Littleton Prep believes that all children are capable of meeting high standards given the right educational environment and support. Our programs often meet student needs not otherwise served in the traditional public school system. For example, Littleton Prep’s Kindergarten students ranked in the top 5% nationwide on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills standardized test.
- Charter schools are known to have a record of student achievement. In Colorado, they are very successful and frequently outperform public schools on standardized tests such as the CSAP.
- Charter schools have been popular with families as evidenced by the fact that most charters have substantial waiting lists. There are currently over 200 charter schools in Colorado serving more than 101,000 public school students. Currently, there are more than 20,000 students on charter school wait lists across Colorado. Most importantly, charter schools provide parents educational options within the public educational system.
- Charter schools receive tax funding like other public schools on a per pupil basis. However, unless charter schools have been included in a successful bond question, they must buy or lease their own facilities. As a result of these facility costs, many charter schools operate their schools with as much as 25% less funding than neighboring public schools.
Other important characteristics of charter schools:
- They are always tuition free, open to all students, and nonsectarian.
- They have control over their own curriculum, staff, and budget. (At traditional public schools, these areas are all managed at the district level, not the school level.)
- They must meet the state content standards.
- They are accountable to their local public school district or the State Authorizer.
- They must meet all special education laws.
- They must be accredited by the school district, just like your neighborhood school.
