Adams 12 staff report progress, persistent special‑education and graduation concerns at New America School Thornton renewal review

Adams 12 district staff and New America School Thornton leaders presented a renewal review to the Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board of Education on Jan. 15, 2025, showing steady gains in graduation and school climate but ongoing shortfalls in special‑education staffing and a persistently high dropout rate.

The presentation, led by Principal Myra Ramirez and Santiago Lopez, superintendent of NAS Colorado, detailed the school’s mission and student population, and Audrey Monaco and Kelly Ann Scott from Adams 12’s charter office summarized the district’s review and a recommendation that a renewal contract be shorter than the maximum and include enforceable provisions to address special education and post‑secondary outcomes.

New America School Thornton serves a high‑risk, multilingual student body and uses both a traditional diploma and a competency‑based (CB) diploma track. Ramirez and NAS leaders said the school had 174 students as of December and rose to about 185 after the holiday break. Ramirez and Santiago also highlighted program features including a newcomer program, evening classes and credit recovery options that the school uses to serve students who are overage or under‑credited. “The New America School empowers new immigrants, English language learners, and academically underserved students with the educational tools and support to maximize their potential and live the American dream,” Santiago said, reading the school’s mission.

Why it matters: the school educates students who the district says are at high risk of…