Sterling Ranch's first school, the highly debated John Adams Academy, broke ground Wednesday. It's a tuition-free public charter school in Colorado's Douglas County, providing a "liberty-based" classical education . The school will sit on 25 acres of land donated by Sterling Ranch, off of Waterton Road and Snake River Street.

CBS

That growing community has been badly in need of schools and community leaders estimate they'll need four or five schools at full buildout.

So far, funding for only one Douglas County School District school has been approved by taxpayers. That school will break ground next year and open in 2027. But John Adams Academy will open first, in 2026.

While the school previously sparked debate by some community members concerned about its ideological framewor

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