William Smith High School

Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the counties of Adams and A

380 Students

High School 9th - 12th

School Overview

William Smith High School, located in Aurora, Colorado, is a small, relationship-focused public high school that operates as part of the Aurora Public Schools district. Distinguished by its "expeditionary learning" philosophy, the school emphasizes a project-based curriculum where students engage in in-depth investigations of real-world topics. This approach is designed to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and personal responsibility, moving beyond traditional textbook-based instruction to prioritize hands-on application and community engagement.

The school is particularly noted for its tight-knit culture, which is intentionally structured to ensure that every student is well-known by the staff. By utilizing smaller class sizes and personalized learning plans, William Smith aims to create an inclusive environment where students feel supported as they pursue their academic and personal goals. With a focus on social-emotional growth alongside rigorous academics, the school prepares its graduates not only for post-secondary education but also to become active, contributing members of their community.

380

Total Students

21.0

Full-Time Teachers

18.1

Student/Teacher Ratio

87.9%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for William Smith High School
Demographic	Student Count
White	48
Hispanic	273
Black	26
Asian	18
Two or More	13
American Indian	1
Pacific Islander	1

Hispanic
273 (71.8 %)
White
48 (12.6 %)
Black
26 (6.8 %)
Asian
18 (4.7 %)
Two or More
13 (3.4 %)
American Indian
1 (0.3 %)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.3 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the counties of Adams and A
Phone:	(303)364-8715
Website:	http://williamsmithhs.org
Grade Range:	9th - 12th
Total Students:	380
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	21.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	18.1
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	279
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	55

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 9 95

Grade 10 94

Grade 11 92

Grade 12 99