Best Schools in Englewood Colorado: A Parent’s Complete Guide to Education Options in 2026

Best Schools in Englewood Colorado: A Parent’s Complete Guide to Education Options in 2026

A thorough, neighborhood-level look at the public schools, private options, and open enrollment pathways available to families in Englewood, Colorado — with practical tips for verifying your address assignment and choosing the right fit for your child.

If you’re moving to Englewood or simply reconsidering your family’s options, the school landscape here is more interesting than most people expect. Englewood is a small, independent city in Arapahoe County — not part of Denver despite sharing a border — and it runs its own school district. That matters because your address determines a lot, and the district lines here don’t always match what online maps suggest.

This guide covers every realistic education option for families in Englewood: the public schools inside Englewood Schools, the private school just over the border, charter school access through open enrollment, and the practical steps you need to take before assuming your child will attend a specific school.

Understanding Englewood Schools: The District

The schools in Englewood Colorado are governed by Englewood Schools, a small, independent district that operates entirely within the city boundaries. The district is compact — one high school, one middle school, and three elementary schools — which means administrators and principals actually know their communities in a way that’s harder to achieve in larger metro districts.

Small doesn’t mean underfunded or underperforming. Englewood Schools has invested significantly in career and technical education at the high school level, an International Baccalaureate program at the elementary level, and consistent efforts to keep class sizes manageable. The district website, englewoodschools.net, is the official source for boundary maps, enrollment deadlines, and school calendars.

One thing worth knowing upfront: Englewood borders Denver, Sheridan, and Littleton. On certain streets — especially near the city’s edges — your mailing address might say “Englewood” but your property may fall inside a different school district’s boundaries, or vice versa. Always verify your specific address using the district’s enrollment tools before making housing or schooling decisions based on assumptions.

Elementary Schools in Englewood

Englewood Schools operates three elementary schools serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Each has its own character, and the differences are meaningful depending on what you’re looking for in your child’s early education.

Charles Hay World School (K–5)

Charles Hay is the flagship of Englewood’s elementary options and, honestly, one of the more distinctive public elementary schools in the entire south Denver area. It operates as an International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) school — a designation that shapes everything from curriculum design to classroom culture.

The IB PYP framework is inquiry-based, meaning students are encouraged to investigate concepts across subject areas rather than receive information in isolated chunks. Teachers at Charles Hay design units around transdisciplinary themes — things like “How We Organize Ourselves” or “Sharing the Planet” — and students make connections between math, language arts, science, and social studies within those themes. It’s a different experience than a traditional elementary school, and kids who thrive with open-ended questions tend to do very well here.

The “World School” designation also reflects a genuine emphasis on global awareness and multilingual exposure. Charles Hay serves a diverse student population, which adds to the international character of the program rather than making it feel like a marketing label.

Charles Hay is a neighborhood school, meaning students who live within its attendance boundary are automatically enrolled. Because of the IB designation, families outside the boundary sometimes inquire about open enrollment — availability varies by year and grade level, so check with the district directly.

Cherrelyn Elementary (K–5)

Cherrelyn Elementary serves the eastern and southern portions of Englewood and is a solid traditional elementary school. The staff-to-student ratio is reasonable, and the school has a reputation for being particularly attentive to students who need additional reading support in the early grades.

Cherrelyn draws from a mix of single-family homes and apartment communities, giving the school a diverse cross-section of Englewood families. If you’re buying or renting in that part of the city, Cherrelyn is likely your assigned school — again, verify your specific address at englewoodschools.net to confirm.

Bishop Elementary (K–5)

Bishop Elementary rounds out the district’s elementary options, serving families in the northern sections of Englewood. Like Cherrelyn, Bishop follows the standard Colorado Academic Standards curriculum without the IB overlay, making it a more conventional elementary experience.

One thing worth noting for families comparing schools: because the district is small, elementary students from all three schools feed into the same middle school. Social transitions between schools tend to be smoother than in larger districts — students from Charles Hay, Cherrelyn, and Bishop all arrive at Englewood Middle School together and mix quickly.

Englewood Middle School (6–8)

There is one middle school in the district, which simplifies things considerably. Every sixth-grader in Englewood — regardless of which elementary they attended — transitions to Englewood Middle School.

The middle school offers core academic courses aligned with Colorado state standards, plus electives in arts, technology, and physical education. Students who came through Charles Hay’s IB program don’t continue an IB track at the middle school level, so the transition does represent a shift in instructional approach. For families who valued the inquiry-based model, it’s worth staying engaged with teachers to look for project-based learning opportunities within the standard curriculum.

Englewood Middle also serves as a bridge to the CTE and advanced coursework available at the high school. Some accelerated math pathways begin in middle school, so if your student has strong math aptitude, talk to counselors early about placement options heading into sixth grade.

Englewood High School (9–12): CTE and Beyond

Englewood High School is where the district has invested most noticeably in recent years, particularly in its Career and Technical Education programs. CTE is not just shop class — it’s a structured pathway system that prepares students for both post-secondary education and direct workforce entry in specific industries.

Englewood High’s CTE offerings span multiple industry sectors. Students can pursue pathways in areas including health sciences, business and entrepreneurship, technology, and skilled trades. These pathways combine classroom instruction with hands-on projects and, in many cases, industry certifications that students earn before graduation — credentials that have real value whether they go to college or straight into a career.

Beyond CTE, the high school offers a solid set of AP courses in core subjects, giving academically motivated students a chance to earn college credit while still in high school. The class sizes are small enough that teachers generally know their students by name, which tends to mean more personalized feedback on essays, more access to teachers outside class hours, and a culture where slacking is noticed — in a helpful way, not a punitive one.

For students not on a CTE track, the high school still provides a complete college preparatory experience. The key is to be proactive — seek out the hardest classes you can handle, build relationships with teachers early, and use the guidance counseling office to map out a four-year plan that actually serves your goals.

Private School Options Near Englewood

For families willing to look beyond Englewood’s district lines, there are quality private school options within a short drive. The most significant is Colorado Academy, a private PK-12 school located just over the Englewood border in Denver, near the Cherry Creek area. Colorado Academy is well-regarded for its academic rigor, arts programs, and athletics. It’s a full-tuition private school with a competitive admissions process, so planning ahead matters — applications for the following school year typically open in the fall.

Another option worth considering is the Accelerated Schools in Englewood, which offers an alternative educational approach for students who haven’t thrived in traditional settings. Accelerated Schools focuses on project-based learning and personalized instruction, making it a good fit for some learners and a poor fit for others. Visit before applying.

Private school costs vary widely, and many area private schools offer financial aid for qualifying families. If the private school route is appealing, budget for tuition, understand the application timeline, and factor in transportation — most private schools don’t provide bus service.

Charter Schools and Open Enrollment

Colorado’s open enrollment law allows students to apply to public schools outside their assigned district, subject to space availability. For Englewood families, this opens access to some of the highest-performing charter schools in the Denver metro area, including several DSST (Denver School of Science and Technology) campuses.

DSST is one of the most respected charter networks in Colorado. Its schools consistently rank among the top in the state for college readiness metrics, and the application process is separate from district enrollment — you can apply even if your child is already enrolled in Englewood Schools. The catch is that space is limited and demand is high, particularly at the middle school level.

Open enrollment applications for Englewood Schools typically open in early winter for the following school year. If you’re considering a charter or a different district school, put the deadline on your calendar now. Waiting until spring often means the available seats are gone.

Verifying Your School Assignment

This cannot be said often enough: verify your school assignment before you sign a lease, close on a home, or assume your child will attend a specific school. Online real estate listings sometimes get district information wrong. Neighbors sometimes give outdated information. School boundaries shift with redistricting.

The official Englewood Schools enrollment tool at englewoodschools.net allows you to search by address to confirm which school your student is assigned to. Use it. If you’re near a boundary — which includes many streets in the northern and western portions of Englewood — call the district office directly and ask to confirm.

If you’re using open enrollment to access a school outside Englewood, the application process runs through the receiving district or charter school, not through Englewood Schools. Each school sets its own open enrollment timeline and capacity, so check directly with that school’s front office.

Key Takeaways for Families

Here’s what matters most about schools in Englewood Colorado if you’re moving to the area or reassessing your options:

• Englewood Schools is a compact, well-managed district with a genuine standout in Charles Hay’s IB program and strong CTE investment at the high school.
• District boundaries are the single biggest source of surprises. Verify your address assignment independently — don’t rely on listings, agents, or neighbors.
• Open enrollment is a real pathway to DSST and other high-performing metro schools, but you need to apply during the open window, which typically closes in winter.
• Private school options exist nearby for families who want them, with Colorado Academy being the most prominent full K-12 option in the immediate area.
• The district’s small size is an asset. With only one high school and one middle school, there’s less red tape between families and administrators — if something isn’t working for your kid, you can actually talk to the people who make decisions.

Englewood won’t be the right fit for every family, but for those who value a smaller community feel with real educational variety — from IB immersion to CTE pathways to metro-wide open enrollment — it’s a Denver-adjacent option that deserves a closer look than it usually gets.