by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Major funding advances classroom, lab, and gym space for growing Fort Collins enrollment
Liberty Common School in Fort Collins has received a major federal grant through Great Schools Colorado to support the continued expansion of its new junior-high campus, a project poised to serve hundreds of Northern Colorado families seeking high-quality public education options.
The grant supports “Phase Two” of Liberty’s junior-high facility at 1825 Sharp Point Drive, which opened its initial classroom wing in August 2025. The expansion—already underway—will increase the school’s footprint by roughly 200 percent and add essential student spaces, including a gym, locker rooms, lunchroom, academic labs, special-education areas, and physical-education rooms. All improvements are set for completion by August 2026.
The funding helps Liberty Common School continue offering free access to one of Poudre School District’s highest-performing K–12 public institutions, making more seats available to families across the region. School leadership credited the support of Colorado State Board of Education Member Steve Durham, whose advocacy helped secure the federal funding.
The grant arrives as Liberty expands to meet rising enrollment. After leasing and later purchasing a second elementary campus in southwest Fort Collins, the school also acquired new property to support its larger junior-high population next to its original Plato Campus. The new grant will supply furniture, academic materials, technology, science equipment, band instruments, and additional durable goods for the growing campus.
A total of $1,799,689—74 percent of the project cost—is funded by the federal Charter School Program grant administered through Great Schools Colorado. The overall project totals $2,426,852. More information about the program is available at https://www.greatschoolscolorado.org.
Liberty Common School remains tuition-free, open to all Colorado residents, and admits students by lottery. The expansion allows more Poudre School District students to move off waiting lists and into classrooms grounded in the Core Knowledge curriculum and a classically oriented, college-prep academic model.
Find more about Liberty Common School at https://libertycommon.org.
Attribution: Colorado League of Charter Schools / Liberty Common School