A Fort Collins charter school ranks first academically in Colorado, edging out a Jefferson County high school that had held the honor for four consecutive years.

Ridgeview Classical Charter Schools barely topped D'Evelyn Senior High School in new data compiled by the state Department of Education.

Both are "opt in" schools with students selected mostly by lottery. They feature rigorous academic curriculums.

"They do a nice job," said D'Evelyn Principal Mark Hartshorne. "I have to hand it to them for their performance."

The rankings reflect scores on achievement tests administered by the state last spring under the Colorado Student Assessment Program. The data were the basis for the school ...