27J Seniors Lead the Way: Graduation Rates Outpace State and Neighbors

The Class of 2025 has once again put 27J Schools at the head of the class. 

With an 87 percent on-time graduation rate, 27J continues to outperform the state average of 85.6 percent and neighboring Adams County districts - demonstrating steady success and a strong commitment to helping students cross the finish line prepared for what’s next.

 “We hold ourselves to a standard that says every student deserves to graduate, and an 87 percent graduation rate shows we still have work to do,” 27J Superintendent Will Pierce said. “At the same time, graduation must reflect meaningful learning and readiness for life beyond high school which is more important than our number, our comparison against other districts, and our ratings.”

Pierce added that the district’s 1.9 percent drop-out rate gives him confidence that the district is giving students the necessary support and pathways to continue working toward earning their diplomas if they need additional time.

One common key to success, but also an opportunity for improvement, shared by district high school principals is making connections with students early to keep them on track to graduate.

“I think we've adapted and become top-notch at getting students back on track,” Brighton High School Principal Kerry Chisnall said. 

Brighton High just missed matching its 2024 record-high graduation rate of 93.4 percent.

“The remaining challenge, and there's a lot of work to be done, is to try to get it so that students are successful from the get-go so we're not backpedaling to get students back on track in their junior and senior years,” Chisnall added.

At the district level, the focus is also on prioritizing discussions with students earlier in their high school academic careers to keep them on pace for an on-time graduation. When some students do, inevitably, fall behind in their work toward a diploma, the district has also invested in a new credit recovery platform. The new system ensures students have a realistic but rigorous, standards-aligned path toward recovering high school credits. 

Graduating class of 2025 on-time graduation rates for all district high schools:

• 27J Online Academy - 66.9%
• Colorado Connections Academy - 79.9%
• Brighton High School - 93.1%
• Eagle Ridge Academy - 98%
• Innovations & Options - 64.4%
• Prairie View High School - 84.9%
• Riverdale Ridge High School - 94.2%
• STEAD School - 94%