In October 2022, LISC Charter School Financing closed on a $360,000 loan to the American Indian Academy of Denver (AIAD), allowing AIAD to expand beyond grades 6-9 and run through grade 12. The loan is credit-enhanced through a U.S. Department of Education award to LISC that is being specifically deployed to support schools with BIPOC leaders.
In October 2022, LISC Charter School Financing closed on a $360,000 loan to the American Indian Academy of Denver (AIAD), which is working to extend a quality education to more students.
The loan will allow AIAD to expand beyond grades 6-9, which it has served since its founding in 2020, with additional space for grades 10-12. The loan is credit-enhanced through a U.S. Department of Education award to LISC that is being specifically deployed to support schools with BIPOC leaders.
At full enrollment the Denver-based school will educate 200 students. The single-site public charter school is designed to address the unmet needs of Native American and Latinx students with Mesoamerican roots. The school’s mission is to be a community of families and educators where all students are supported holistically, secured in their cultural identity, empowered to become community leaders, and prepared to excel in life. AIAD is the only school in the Denver Public School system that incorporates indigenous values, teaching, and learning methods into its program.
At the time of closing, 83 percent of AIAD students were eligible for free and reduced-price lunch; 37 percent identified as Native American; and 49 percent identify as Hispanic or Latino/a. The student body reflects the school’s initial vision. Prior to applying for its first charter, AIAD held five listening sessions with both families and students in the Denver Public School system. The community demanded a stellar academic program that would provide a sense of belonging, foster positive cultural identity formation, and build an inclusive and welcoming community.