Colorado’s largest public charter school network celebrates a milestone graduating class, and the numbers speak for themselves.
Graduation season is here, and at Colorado Early Colleges (CEC), this year’s milestone is one worth celebrating from the Front Range to the Eastern Plains. The Class of 2026 has officially crossed the finish line, and they’re doing it with something most high school graduates don’t have: real college credentials in hand before they even leave high school.
832 Graduates. One Big Idea: Start College Early.
CEC is proud to celebrate 832 graduates across its network of campuses in Aurora, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Castle Rock, Windsor, and online. These students didn’t just earn a high school diploma; they stacked college credits, earned associate degrees, completed industry certificates, and proved that the early college model works.
That’s the promise at the heart of Colorado Early Colleges. Give motivated Colorado students the opportunity to earn college credits while still in middle and high school, setting them up for careers and higher education on their own terms.
By the Numbers: Class of 2026 Graduation Achievements
Associate Degrees
Over 472 graduates, 57% of the entire class, earned at least one associate degree. That means more than half of CEC’s 2026 graduates are walking across the graduation stage not just with a diploma, but with a two-year college degree already completed. For many, that represents tens of thousands of dollars in tuition savings.
Certificates and Industry Credentials
An impressive 606 graduates (73%) earned at least one college certificate, with 334 students earning a certificate as their primary credential. Across CEC campuses, certificate attainment was particularly strong; some campuses saw over 90% of their graduates earn at least one certificate, demonstrating the power of CEC’s career pathway programs.
Academic Honors
The Class of 2026 also excelled academically:
- 239 graduates (29%) earned Summa Cum Laude honors (3.8 GPA or higher)
- 130 graduates (16%) earned Magna Cum Laude honors (3.65 GPA or higher)
- 70 graduates (8%) earned Cum Laude honors (3.5 GPA or higher)
- 489 graduates (59%) graduated with High Honors, having earned 60 or more college credits
- 141 graduates (17%) graduated with Honors, having earned 30 or more college credits or completed a certificate or program
A Network of Success Across Colorado
The Class of 2026 represents students from every corner of CEC’s growing network:
- CEC Aurora — 120 graduates, 100% earned an achievement
- CEC Colorado Springs — 129 graduates, 100% earned an achievement
- CEC Fort Collins — 191 graduates, 91% earned an achievement
- CEC Castle Rock — 120 graduates, 100% earned an achievement
- DC North — 180 graduates, 100% earned an achievement
- CEC Windsor — 14 graduates
- CEC Online — 78 graduates, 100% earned an achievement
Each campus brings its own community and strengths, but all share the same mission: preparing students for college and career success before they graduate from high school.
Why the Early College Model Works
Colorado Early Colleges was founded on a simple but powerful belief: students don’t have to wait until after high school to start building their futures. By integrating college coursework, career pathways, and hands-on learning into the grades 6–12 experience, CEC gives students a head start that pays off for a lifetime.
For families in Colorado searching for alternatives to traditional high school, free college credit programs for high schoolers, or public charter schools that prepare students for college, CEC’s model delivers measurable results, not just promises.
The Class of 2026’s achievements also translate to real financial impact. With the average cost of an associate degree in Colorado exceeding $15,000, every student who earns one through CEC before graduation is saving their family a significant amount of money — and entering adulthood with a credential that opens doors in the workforce or eases the transition to a four-year university.
Congratulations, Class of 2026
To every CEC graduate crossing the stage this spring: you’ve done something remarkable. You balanced high school and college. You showed up. You earned it.
To the families who supported you, the teachers who believed in you, and the communities that cheered you on — thank you.
The Class of 2026 is proof that when students are given the opportunity to reach higher, they do.
Interested in giving your student the same head start? Colorado Early Colleges is now enrolling for the 2026–27 school year. With campuses across the Front Range and a flexible online option, CEC is Colorado’s largest charter school network — and one of its most successful. Enroll today!
Achievement data is preliminary as of May, 2026, and reflects achievements students are on track to earn by graduation. Final numbers may vary.
