Welcome to Colorado Early Colleges (CEC)

Where Opportunities For Success Belong To Everyone

From exceptional middle school educations to college degrees and industry recognized certifications for our high school graduates to unique learning opportunities for homeschool and non-public school students — the Colorado Early Colleges network of tuition-free public charter schools strive to remove barriers in delivering the highest levels of academic success possible to all K-12 Colorado students through multiple full-time and part-time enrollment options.

Colorado Early Colleges “CEC” is a network of tuition-free public charter schools across the state of Colorado, with three middle school and seven high school campuses, two locations for our College Direct option, three homeschool academy locations, and a fully-online program. CEC is authorized to provide students with the opportunity to take college courses while in high school by Charter School Institute (www.csi.state.co.us), a Colorado statewide charter school organization.

An early college is a state designated high school with a four year curriculum designed to give students the opportunity to concurrently earn, upon graduation, a high school diploma and a postsecondary credential. Postsecondary credentials include associate degrees, industry recognized certifications, 60 or more college course credits, and even bachelor’s degrees.

All students, regardless of background or skill level, will have the opportunity to pursue a growth mindset that will allow them to achieve mastery and to demonstrate that they can succeed in school, in college, and in their chosen career.

No Exceptions. No Excuses.

At CEC, we understand the search for the right school is a personal experience and that the admissions process can often be intimidating and difficult to follow. Our Admissions staff are dedicated to helping families understand our process and to provide support from your initial decision to apply for enrollment all the way to your first advising session.

At CEC, our advisors strive to understand and respect the uniqueness of each student and their educational goals. They recognize that middle school and high school is a time of exploration and student interests and goals can quickly change. This awareness drives their collaborations with each student to create an Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) that is consistent with their educational goals, career interests, and abilities.

CEC and our accredited college partners are committed to creating a community of lifetime learners and a school culture that fosters academic, career and personal success for every student. Whether academically ahead, right on track, or below grade level — our programs prepare students of all levels for college course work as quickly as possible. We make every effort to offer the highest levels of support in guiding students towards their goals and to achieve those goals through commitment, effort, and accountability.

Our Beliefs

CEC recognizes the responsibility we have been entrusted with to deliver a positive and lifelong impact on our students and their families, both academically and in life — and to deliver it with equity and fairness in the Colorado communities we have the privilege to serve. We have created a belief system to guide us in our endeavors in building strong campus communities that are filled with passion, driven by excellence, and dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Career Pathways at Colorado Early Colleges

CAREER PATHWAYS AT CEC SCHOOLS GIVE PURPOSE TO LEARNING BY EMPHASIZING REAL-WORLD SKILLS AND PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE.

At CEC, we know that when young people develop valuable skills, make connections and build a network while they are in middle school and high school through career learning, they have an inside track on being successful in life. Career-focused students have a significantly greater high school graduation rate (90%) than the national average (75%), and, also do better in class because hands-on experiences within career courses make academic subjects more engaging and more interesting.

News from Our Schools

School Spotlight: Watch CEC Aurora and Inverness Knowledge Bowl Compete on PBS!

Congratulations to CEC Aurora and CEC Inverness’s Knowledge Bowl teams that competed in the Dinosaur Ridge Championship Tournament! CEC Inverness’s team is currently the