Jefferson Academy (JA), is a public school chartered by the Jefferson County R-1 School District. JA began in 1994 when a group of parents filed a charter application with the Jefferson County R-1 School District. After a successful appeal to the State Board of Education and ultimate approval by the Jefferson County Board of Education, JA opened in August of 1994. The school steadily grew, adding a class each year as students advanced and expanded to meet community demand. A junior high was added in 1996, followed by a high school in 1998. The first graduating class was celebrated in 2002.

Since then, JA has continued to grow and is consistently recognized among the top K–12 schools in Colorado, supported by a dedicated Board, strong staff, engaged families, and motivated students. In 2013, JA opened a new Secondary campus in Broomfield and expanded its Elementary campus. That same year, JA launched The Summit Academy, a homeschool program, which has since expanded to multiple campuses and now serves over 1,100 students, including high schoolers with concurrent enrollment opportunities. JA has continued to enhance its programs and facilities, including adding fine arts and athletic spaces, expanding partnerships such as with Hope House, and growing student opportunities. In 2024, JA opened the Coal Creek Canyon PreK–8 campus to serve the mountain community. 

Today, JA continues to grow as Jefferson Academy Charter Schools, serving a wide range of students and families across multiple campuses.

JA is authorized under the Charter Schools Act (C.R.S. 22-30.5 et seq.), a law passed in 1993 by the state legislature. A public charter school operates via a contract, or charter, with the local Board of Education. The charter stipulates authority and responsibilities given to the charter school's governing board. Charter schools operate with autonomy while being held accountable for results. Periodically, typically during a renewal period, charter schools undergo an external evaluation. Additionally, charter schools are ultimately responsible to their consumers; the parents and students who choose to attend. Public charter schools are mission-led schools with a specific emphasis. JA uses the Core Knowledge curriculum in grades kindergarten through eight. The senior high uses a complementary educational program, which is a coordinated humanities model. The entire school focuses on a rigorous academic program in a disciplined environment.

There’s a reason people choose to call JA Coal Creek Canyon home and it’s about more than the mountain views.

Families choose Jefferson Academy Coal Creek Canyon because they want more than a great education. They want a school where their child is known by name, seen for who they are, and genuinely cared for.

Our small school community means our students aren't numbers on a roster. Teachers know their students their strengths, their personalities, what makes them laugh, what they are passionate about, and when something just isn't quite right. Students know the adults in our building, too. Our older students know our younger students. Families know one another. There is a sense of connection that is difficult to create in a large school, but comes naturally here.

Small class sizes mean more opportunity for individual attention. More time to ask questions. More chances to try something new. More room for teachers to recognize when a student needs an extra challenge, a little encouragement, or simply someone to listen.

And then there is the place we get to call home.

Coal Creek Canyon offers the rare combination of mountain living and easy access to the Front Range. Our students grow up surrounded by forests, open space, wildlife, and changing seasons. Learning doesn't always have to happen behind four walls. The canyon becomes part of the classroom, offering endless opportunities to explore, discover, and build a genuine connection with the world around them.

But what truly sets our school apart isn't the mountains outside our windows. It's the people inside them.

At Jefferson Academy Coal Creek Canyon, we believe children thrive when they are known, supported, and given room to become themselves.