Saved Schools

Highlands Micro School

Highlands Micro School, nominated by an anonymous organization, is an elementary school in Denver, Colorado, that describes itself as an independent (private) school serving learners from a primarily urban area.

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Location Denver, Colorado

Governance Independent (Private) School

Grades Elementary

Students 26

Locale Urban

Director/Owner Kate Giacomini

Demographics

Percentage of students*

—

English Learners

—

Free/Reduced Lunch

25%

Students with Disabilities

African American or Black —

American Indian/Alaska Native —

Asian 8%

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander —

Hispanic or Latino 8%

White 68%

2+ Races —

Why Highlands Micro School was nominated

This low tech, mixed-age, no homework, no grades learner-centered environment was ready to show off just how wondrous and capable all of our learners are. Standard curriculums, siloed subjects, and age-based comparisons were never going to show up at Highlands. Instead, a competency-based culture of collaboration, community, and curiosity were going to drive the learning for each individual child. The leaders at Highlands Micro School never asked if kids as young as four and five could develop a sense of learner agency. They knew it to be true based on the scientific evidence they had gathered, and they set out to prove the findings. Through personalized, relevant, and contextualized learning, they have rewritten the story on what learners are capable of. There is no greater example than the young girl who proclaimed, ìDandelions are the cure for cancer!î Rather than thinking, ìthatís nice, honey,î her scientifically-minded mother and educators challenged her to prove it. And, off she went exploring scientific literature, utilizing her strengths as a writer, and creating a presentation for her community to assess her findings. Oh, by the way, this learner was five years old! And, sheís one of many stories coming out of this socially embedded environment where every learner supports one another as they pursue their annual passion projects. With an assessment framework that all but eliminates the ability to compare, learners arenít looking to compete with one another. They want to see everyone succeed and grow. Each learner is on a path to develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that support their present and future yearnings, which are unimpeded by the individual interests of their peers. As Highlands Micro School continues pushing the needle beyond what we thought was possible in education, they hope to expand their work to the secondary level and remove all barriers to entryómore specifically, eliminating tuitionófor the children in their Denver community.

Student experience design

We are a small, mixed age learning environment that prioritizes individual needs over age-based objectives. Through deep hands on learning and close relationships, Highlands Micro School excites the curiosity and sense of community in each child.

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

Competency/mastery-based Education
5+ years

Flexible Staffing & Alternative Teaching Roles
5+ years

Multi-age Classrooms
5+ years

Peer To Peer Support
5+ years

Student-led Goal Setting
5+ years

All Practices

Advancement On Mastery

AI Literacy

AI For Learning Materials

AI For Teacher Productivity

Anti-racist Practices

Assessments For Agency And Self-directed Learning

Assessments For Deeper Learning

Assessments For Social-emotional Skills

Co-leadership

Community And Workforce Partnerships

Culturally Responsive Practices

Grading Policies Focus On Mastery

All Courses Designed For Inclusion

Interoperable Data From Multiple Technologies

Individual Learner Profiles

Individual Learning Paths

Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics

No Tracked Classes

Project-based Learning

Performance Based Assessment

Restorative Practices

SEL Integration School-wide

Service Learning

Student-led Conferences

Students Access Their Own Data

Self-paced Learning

Students Develop Projects

Trauma-informed Practices

Tutoring

Universal Design For Learning

key reasons for innovating

Demonstrate what’s possible for other schools

Increase student agency

Increase teacher agency

Date Updated: 4/1/2026

*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.