Community Leadership Academy

First of all, I think that it's all preference on where a parent wants to send their child. Everything cannot meet everyone's needs or be perfect. This was my child's first year at CLA (kindergarten). She loved it! She excelled and I do see it even at home. You must work with your kids, regardless of their levels and their teachers. The uniform is great. Yes, it costs money, but so do any school clothes you would otherwise buy your child. My child has come out of her shy shell and reads well and just is glowing from her experiences this year. Being in CC I would have NEVER sent her anywhere else. The other elementary schools she would have been in the minority and not challenged. I would've had to enroll her in Brighton or somewhere else. Also, I am pretty sure that the assistants (paras) do have to take a test now or have associates degrees. I worked in the Brighton district as a para and that was a requirement. Again parents are the primary teachers of their children besides school. Love the fact there is homework daily too (even if kindergarten).
--Submitted by a parent

As a parent and professional educator, I feel the need to describe this school and all the reasons why students should NOT attend CLA. Test Preparation - To begin, a great deal of the day and school year is focused on teaching to the Colorado Standardized Test. To prepare for this test, students spend hours a day taking practice tests and reviewing the answers. This means that students spend much of their time at CLA sitting at their desks, filling in page after page of multiple choice questions. Ability Grouping - This school prides themselves of the fact that their students' are placed in math and reading groups based on their ability. The fact is, if your student is above or below grade level at either math or reading, they are likely to be assigned to a group that is taught by an unqualified teacher's assistant. Teacher assistants at CLA are only required to hold a high school diploma, which makes you wonder weather these assistants are capable of providing gifted and struggling learners with the support they need? Special Ed. and Accommodations - My son rarely received the help he needed due to poor student to teacher ratios and lack of resources.
--Submitted by a parent

I am shocked at all the low ratings here. My kindergartener enjoys school and her teacher tells me she is above level in reading etc...now I am going to have to look into that since it seems that many children upon switching schools are, in fact, NOT where they should be. Other than that, her teacher is great- she communicates very well with me about what's going on and if she ever has concerns. Uniforms can be expensive though
--Submitted by a parent

this school is ran very poorly, my son attended school for 3 months. they never addressed his IEP, It was horrible, My son was miserable , I am so disappointed, I help campaign for this school
--Submitted by a parent

My child was so unhappy at CLA so we took him out 1 1/2 months after school started and he couldn't be happier at his new school. He looks forward to going to school now. He would cry when he had to go to CLA. We are welcomed to participate at school and are always treated well by the teachers and administrators. We can even have lunch with him. This was not the case at CLA. Parents were not allowed in the building for any reason. And if they did have to go in incase of an emergency, they were scrutinized by the administrators. I wouldn t recommend this school to my worst enemy. I feel bad for the kids that are going there now.
--Submitted by a parent

At CLA my child was advanced in reading and math. So I was told by the teachers. I moved her schools and sure enough she was nowhere near where I was told by CLA teachers. She is now needing interventions in reading. Below grade level and struggling to catch up. My child is so happy at her new school.
--Submitted by a parent

We also took our children out of Community Leadership Academy and they are now struggling at the Dist. school we moved them to. We should have known this would happen with the low CSAP scores the school has recived since they have been open.
--Submitted by a parent

This is a beautiful building that many people campaigned for and started out so well. That said we are removing our students as we feel threatened and intimidated by the schools administration for trying participate in our students learning and asking questions. Our children have become very unhappy to go to this school.
--Submitted by a parent

This school turned out to be a big disappointment to many parents that were looking forward to providing their children with a charter school education. What a shame.
--Submitted by a parent

I have 3 students that attend CLA and have to express that they have been a blessing to my childrens education. They have kindergarteners reading by the time they get into first grade. It also helps that the school has ability grouping for math and reading so that children may learn at their own level and all children are learning the same thing in a class. The school has gome through some hardships, it's only the 4th year in operation, but I can defenitely say things are coming together and things are only getting better.
--Submitted by a parent