Aurora Public Schools Calendar - School District Calendar

Aurora Public Schools Calendar (APS) is a school district located in Aurora, Colorado, that serves a diverse and growing population. With a student body that reflects a wide range of ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, APS is a microcosm of the broader challenges and opportunities facing public education in the United States.

The district serves over 40,000 students across more than 60 schools, ranging from preschool to high school. This includes traditional neighborhood schools, magnet programs, charter schools, and a variety of alternative education options. Aurora Public Schools has made a concerted effort to provide a broad array of educational opportunities that cater to the varied needs and interests of its students. This approach is designed to ensure that every student has access to the resources and support they need to succeed.

Aurora Public Schools Calendar 2026-2027

One of the defining characteristics of the Aurora Public Schools Calendar is its diversity. Students in APS speak over 160 languages, and many are English language learners.

The district has embraced this diversity as a strength, implementing programs and initiatives designed to support students from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. This includes specialized language instruction, cultural competency training for teachers, and family engagement programs that help bridge the gap between home and school.

PDF

In addition to its focus on diversity, Aurora Public Schools Calendar is committed to equity and inclusion. The district has implemented policies and practices aimed at closing the achievement gap and ensuring that all students have access to the same high-quality educational opportunities.

Aurora Public Schools Calendar 2026

This includes targeted interventions for students who are struggling, as well as programs designed to challenge and engage high-achieving students. APS has also invested in professional development for teachers and staff to ensure that they are equipped to meet the needs of a diverse student population.

Aurora Public Schools Calendar has faced significant challenges over the years, including issues related to funding, student achievement, and community engagement. However, the district has also made significant strides in addressing these challenges.

PDF

For example, APS has implemented a strategic plan that focuses on improving student outcomes, increasing graduation rates, and enhancing the overall quality of education in the district. This plan encompasses initiatives such as expanding access to early childhood education, enhancing the use of technology in the classroom, and fostering partnerships with local businesses and community organizations.

Aurora Public Schools Maps

Aurora Public Schools Phone Number and Website

Aurora Public Schools (Adams‑Arapahoe 28J) is headquartered at 15701 E. 1st Ave., Aurora, CO 80011. The district office can be reached by phone at (303) 344‑8060.

For specific inquiries, such as payroll, communications, or risk management, departments like Finance (303-365-5814), Communications (303-365-7805), and Risk Management (303-326-3189) maintain separate contact lines. Their official website is  where you can find detailed information on schools, programs, staff directories, and more.

Academics

Aurora Public Schools emphasizes rigorous, inclusive academics, supported by a multi-tiered system (MTSS) to ensure students receive tiered academic, behavioral, and social‑emotional support. Curriculum and instruction are continuously reviewed—such as updated math, world languages, and culturally responsive materials—to meet diverse student needs.

The Advanced Academics & Gifted Services office uses a competency‑based model enabling high‑ability learners to accelerate through performance levels, and offers AP, IB, AVID, and gifted/talented programming. Overall, APS aims to boost proficiency in core subjects, readying students for post‑secondary success through equitable, personalized learning.

Technology

Aurora Public Schools’ Technology Division accelerates learning by integrating devices, software, robust infrastructure, data systems, and security measures to ensure equitable access for all students and staff. Through a comprehensive 1:1 Student Technology Program, middle‑ and high‑schoolers receive take‑home devices and internet access, supported by clear policies on acceptable use, care, and security.

Educators and families benefit from the Ed Tech team’s “putting the verb first” philosophy, offering micro‑PD, tool tutorials, and support for digital goals. Recent initiatives include strategic AI integration and adoption of MagicSchool AI, boosting literacy outcomes significantly.

District Policies

Aurora Public Schools maintains a comprehensive suite of district policies covering nondiscrimination, student discipline, safety, privacy, health services, transportation, and technology use. The Board approves policies that take effect immediately, with accompanying regulations posted online.

All staff and students are protected under anti‑harassment and equal employment provisions that prohibit discrimination based on race, gender, disability, or orientation. Safety policies include crisis response plans, visitor protocols, and procedures for bloodborne pathogen exposure. Student conduct policies cover attendance, dress code, bullying prevention, and zero tolerance for weapons or drugs. Privacy rules protect student data security and online accessibility.

Curriculum & Instruction

Aurora Public Schools’ Curriculum & Instruction department emphasizes educational equity by ensuring all students, regardless of background, receive high‑quality, standards‑aligned instruction and materials.

They integrate curriculum, instruction, and assessment through robust frameworks, maps, and planning templates that span preschool to high school and include core subjects, arts, STEM, world languages, and support for English‑language learners. Gifted education is woven in via differentiated strategies promoting higher‑order thinking, relevance, and rigor to benefit learners at all levels.

Financial Transparency & Budget

Aurora Public Schools maintains robust financial transparency and a comprehensive budgeting process. Its online Budget Tool, launched in 2017–18, provides interactive insight into revenue sources and spending allocations, helping stakeholders understand how local, state, and federal funds support students.

The Finance Division, staffed by over 375 professionals, publishes annual comprehensive financial reports and data files in adherence to state law, ensuring public access to audited financial statements. Budget responsibilities include mill levy submissions, collaboration with Colorado’s education finance unit, and clear communication of financial obligations and resource optimization. APS emphasizes ethical stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

Food & Nutrition

Aurora Public Schools Nutrition Services supports student achievement by providing nutritious, delicious, quality breakfast and lunch options across K–12 campuses, plus a summer meal program offering free kits and on-site meals for ages 18 and under.

The department operates as a self‑supporting enterprise fund, relying on timely payments and federal reimbursements, while offering free and reduced-price meals for eligible families. APS adheres to state and federal nutritional standards, posts daily allergen information, accommodates dietary modifications, and promotes food equity through initiatives like the Food Clinic’s “Food as Medicine” model.

Registration

Aurora Public Schools offers an online registration system for families enrolling new K‑12 students or students withdrawn over 60 days; returning students should use the Parent Portal for annual check‑in and updates.

Parents begin by gathering required documents—proof of address, immunization records, guardianship forms, and more—and complete registration via any internet-enabled device using a current browser; pop‑up blockers must be disabled. Preschool registration requires a prior placement confirmation from Early Childhood Education. Open‑enrollment applications for non‑neighborhood schools run January 15 through May 1 each year.

Safety & Security

Aurora Public Schools maintains a dedicated Safety & Security department that operates year-round, with armed, POST‑trained officers patrolling campuses, monitoring alarms 24/7, and coordinating with local police and fire agencies. Every school follows strict access control, including locked exterior doors, visitor screening, and annual safety inspections.

Visit the APS Security website.
Visit the APS Incident Response Team website.
Visit the APS Risk Management website.

District-wide preparedness includes evacuation, lockdown, fire, tornado, and hazmat drills, supported by tabletop and full-scale exercises. Students and staff can report threats anonymously via Safe2Tell, APS SafeNet, and a Title IX hotline. In emergencies, APS activates coordinated communication through email, phone, media outlets, and its website.

Transportation

Aurora Public Schools’ Transportation Department safely and efficiently transports students across elementary, middle, high, magnet, and choice schools, operating over 500 vehicles with 200+ staff. Their mission emphasizes equity and professionalism, aiming to support access to learning environments while teaching safe riding habits.

The fleet includes hundreds of buses (some costing up to $135,000) and smaller vehicles, and the district is transitioning to electric buses, which will increase costs. Parents can find route and stop schedules online, and updates are posted whenever changes occur.

Online Program

Aurora Public Schools offers a fully online K–12 program designed for students needing flexibility, whether due to health, scheduling, or learning preferences. Its high school program delivers the same rigorous curriculum as traditional campuses, letting teens earn a diploma or pursue a GED online.

Elementary and middle schoolers also have access to a structured remote option. Additional supports include accelerated pacing, credit recovery pathways, and medically approved online learning for those unable to attend in person . The online platform utilizes Schoology and Edgenuity, maintaining consistent grade‑point and attendance standards to ensure academic quality.

Enrollment

Aurora Public Schools (Adams‑Arapahoe 28J) enrolls around 38,000 K–12 students, representing a richly diverse community—they hail from over 130 countries and speak more than 160 languages. Nearly 42% of students are English-language learners, with the majority speaking Spanish, and about 75% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

The student body comprises approximately 56% Hispanic, 17% Black, 14% White, 5% Asian, and smaller percentages of other racial identities. Preschool enrollment is tracked separately, and detailed weekly and monthly school‑level enrollment reports (excluding preschool) are available online.

Programs

Aurora Public Schools offers a wide range of programs designed to support student success from preschool through high school. Options include after‑school activities, athletics, arts, college and career readiness, and concurrent college credit. The district runs full‑ and half‑day preschool through Universal Preschool and tuition‑based options rated Quality Level 4 by Colorado Shines.

Magnet and special‑admissions programs focus on areas like visual and performing arts, entrepreneurship, IB, dual language, STEM, and more. There’s also a homeschool support program, online learning, summer food and school services, young‑parent support, GED, I, B, and alternative settings like APS Avenues and Crossroads.

Parents & Students

Aurora Public Schools provides a robust Family Portal where parents and students can check attendance, grades, schedules, pay fees, apply for lunch, and complete annual online check-ins through Infinite Campus. Resources include report cards, gifted‑education updates, multilingual support, technology access, mental health services, transportation info, and special education assistance.

The district also offers the Young Parent Support Program to empower parenting students. Convenient tools and inclusive programs ensure families stay connected, supported, and engaged throughout their child’s educational journey.

Bell Schedule

Aurora Public Schools’ 2026-2027 P–12 bell schedule varies by school level. Most elementary and middle schools begin around 8 a.m. with staggered start/end times, while high schools typically run roughly 8 a.m.–3:25 p.m.

The exact bell times—for preschools, K–8, middle, and high schools—are available in downloadable PDFs on the APS website, showing daily start/end times and built-in periods like advisory, lunch, and electives. Schools also follow district-wide protocols for weather-related delays or closures, shifting daily schedules accordingly.

Aurora Public Schools Holidays 2026-2027

The district has also worked to improve communication and transparency with parents and the broader community. This includes regular updates on the district’s progress, opportunities for parents to get involved in decision-making, and efforts to build trust and collaboration between schools and families. By fostering a strong sense of community and shared responsibility, Aurora Public Schools aims to create an environment where every student can thrive.

Aurora Public Schools Holiday Calendar 2026-2027

Aurora Public Schools (APS) typically observes several holidays throughout the academic year, providing students and staff with breaks from the regular school schedule. These holidays usually include national holidays like Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Thanksgiving break often extends for several days, allowing families time to gather and celebrate.

PDF

Winter break usually spans a couple of weeks, starting just before Christmas and extending into the new year, giving students and staff a chance to recharge during the colder months. Spring break typically occurs in March or April, offering another extended period of relaxation.

Additionally, there might be days off for teachers’ in-service and professional development, which are scattered throughout the school year. The exact dates for these holidays and breaks vary each year and are determined by the school district’s calendar.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Aurora Public Schools Calendar is a district that is deeply committed to serving its diverse student population and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed. While there are challenges, APS continues to innovate and adapt to meet the needs of its students and community. Through its focus on diversity, equity, and community engagement, Aurora Public Schools is working to build a brighter future for all of its students.