Water Damage Restoration in Aurora, CO

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On a recent October day, Roddrick Marshall wore a wide-brimmed hat decorated with red and blue pipe cleaners with a yellow sign that said: “Vote Roddrick & Dejanae.”

Around his neck he also showcased a sign declaring that the pair would “stand on BUSINESS for YOU!” a campaign slogan they hoped would convince fellow students to elect them as co-class presidents of The Excel Center high school in Aurora.

Running for student body elections wouldn’t have happened when he was a 17-year-old getting into trouble, Marshall said. But decades later, at 50, he is getting the chance.

At the Excel Center, run by Goodwill of Colorado and the first high school building in the state dedicated just to adults, Marshall and other adults without a diploma are getting the opportunity to learn in a more traditional type of school setting at no cost to them.

Marshall’s wife first told him about the school and also enrolled him.

“I jumped right on it,” Marshall said. “It’s in person and it’s free, and it’s more of an educational environment where you really get a chance to learn one-on-one with the teacher.”

Statewide, estimates show that over 300,000 Coloradans didn’t finish high school. Despite that high number, Colorado was the last in the nation to begin funding adult education when it did so in 2014.

In 2023, state lawmakers increased annual funding for adult education from $1 million to $3 million a year. They also set aside $5 million to help create the Excel Center.

The plan was to provide the specialized program in an area with great need. Goodwill, which brought the idea to lawmakers and lobbied to open the adult high school, chose Aurora because more than 30,000 adults in the area over the age of 25 never graduated.

The school fits into Goodwill of Colorado’s mission — to help educate, train, and place residents in jobs that help them increase their economic mobility and independence.

The adult high school building opened on Aug. 5, and school officials hope to someday enroll as many as 350 students as they work to finish their high school education.

The 26,000-square-foot building, located in an Aurora strip mall complex owned by Goodwill, will have most of its dozen classrooms nearly half full soon — with 58 students enrolling in the first eight week session and about 150 expected in the second session.

Most of the current students have a ninth grade education, although students who are learning English tend to have a lower education level, said James Sanchez, a Goodwill of Colorado director.

Some students are expected to graduate quickly — such as those who dropped out in their senior year. Sanchez expects the school’s first graduation in December for those who only need to earn a few credits.

Students with a ninth grade education might need to stay enrolled up to 18 months, Sanchez said. And students who are learning English take remedial classes first.

Sanchez said the school is very clear that it isn’t just recreating a high school environment. Adults have much busier lives than when they first attended high school, meaning they require more resources.

The program offers onsite day care for students’ kids over the age of 2-and-a-half, gives them bus passes and gas cards, screens students for learning disabilities such as dyslexia, and has flexible class schedules. The school also caps classes at 24 students.

“We really try to get them individualized support,” Sanchez said.

The Aurora Excel Center is part of a network of 41 other Goodwill schools in nine states across the nation. The first school was started in 2010 in Indianapolis.

Although Goodwill has a history of offering this program, Sanchez said there still have been challenges starting something new in Colorado.

It has been difficult to find teachers, and most of those who’ve taken jobs at the center were previously retired. The school also doesn’t offer students the opportunity to earn as many industry certificates as leaders had hoped, though they’re working on more partnerships that will help students pursue higher paying jobs after graduation.

English language arts teacher Lizzie Louis agreed building something new for adults in the area can be difficult. But the students make it easy.

She said part of teaching them means respecting their life experiences.

She ensures students’ kids have a play space with toys in the corner of her room. And she focuses on encouraging students to pursue their long-held education dreams.

“We get to build community and create a safe place to learn for them,” Louis said.

Marshall said he’s felt the support throughout the building as he tries to earn the high school diploma he’s wanted for years.

On the day he campaigned in his brown hat to become co-class president, Marshall brought his five children with him to school, including his twins. Although they were a rambunctious crew, they’re welcome at the school.

“My kids are in school, but it’s times like this when they’re out for fall break, or some type of break, and I still have class that the day care is helpful,” he said.

Marshall, a custodian, wants to study HVAC after he gets his diploma and increase his potential for higher earnings. He also wants his kids to see him succeed.

“It’s good for them to see their parent continue their education and see how important it is to get their high school diploma,” he said. “They’ll get theirs the first time.”

Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.

Aurora City Council has approved a measure to investigate nonprofits that help migrants. It comes as councilwoman at large Danielle Jurinsky claims Denver's mayor and the governor of Colorado conspired to move migrants into Aurora.

"I believe that Governor Polis and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston conspired to sneak potentially thousands of migrants into our city, using several nonprofits in the metro, that ultimately put the safety of our citizens at risk," said Jurinsky in a statement.

In a 6-2 vote Monday night, Aurora lawmakers approved the measure to investigate if Jurinsky's claim is true.

"We've heard about the non-profits that received all of this funding… American taxpayer dollars to move these people here. The people of Aurora have a right to know how this happened, how much money went towards it, what the state's involvement was, what the city of Denver's involvement was," Jurinsky said during the meeting.

Among the two opponents is Councilwoman Alison Coombs, "It's going to target and scapegoat migrants and migrant-serving organizations instead of looking at the real issues that we're facing as a nation."

CBS Colorado's Kelly Werthmann spoke with the executive directors of three local nonprofits that help migrants with housing in Colorado. All three said the investigation is disappointing and the claims behind it are untrue.

"We never receive direction from any municipality about where people are going to live," said Amanda Blaurock, co-founder and executive director of Village Exchange Center.

"They get to choose where they live," Yoli Casas, co-founder and executive director of ViVe Wellness, said of migrants or any person they help. "[They choose based on] where their friends are, where their families are, where the kids are going to school, where their jobs are."

And, that includes the troublesome apartments that have gained national attention for international gang violence and mismanagement.

"I believe there is a lack of information and understanding of the process, and what we have done in the communities," explained Marielena Suarez, executive director of Papagayo. "Once again, we cannot tell a person, 'You cannot go to this place,' or, 'You need to go to this place.'"

The approved measure means Aurora's city manager will create a list of nonprofits that have received money to help migrants. Then, the council will look at how that money was used.

"There are some nonprofits that placed people in Aurora, and they did it in an irresponsible manner," Councilman Steve Sundberg said during Monday's meeting.

Nonprofit leaders say Aurora's resolution unfairly targets the work they do – across Colorado – and it will do more harm than good.

"I think the heart of being a nonprofit is staying nonpartisan in service. It's not fair to pull nonprofits into what is clearly a partisan issue," said Blaurock. "It really jeopardizes the safety and security of the communities that we all serve by putting us all in the spotlight, at it puts a target on all of our backs."

"Leave our nonprofits alone," added Casas. "Let us do our work."

CBS Colorado also reached out to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's office for comment on Jurinsky's claim. A spokesperson provided this statement: Denver took what many saw as a crisis and turned it into opportunity by partnering with nonprofits to help thousands of newcomers find stability, contribute to our economy, and have the opportunity to chase the American dream. Had we turned our back, there is little doubt that many of the 43,000 people who arrived in Denver over the last two years would today be sleeping on the streets rather than in their own beds. We stand proudly with our immigrant community and with our nonprofit partners, whose dedication and life-saving work should be applauded, not demonized.

Kelly Werthmann

Kelly Werthmann is the weekend evening anchor and a weekday reporter at CBS News Colorado. Read her latest reports or check out her bio and send her an email.

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