Best High Schools in Colorado

High schools
429
Students
270,349
Avg actual
39%
Avg projected
33%
Impact
meet expectations

The top high schools in Colorado, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. The Vanguard School (high)

A+

SchoolGrade

82%

Actual Test Scores

71%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Harrison School District No. 2 In The County Of El Paso An • Charter • Grades 9 - 12 • 321 Students

2. D'evelyn Junior/senior High School

A+

SchoolGrade

82%

Actual Test Scores

63%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Jefferson County School District No. R-1 • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 1125 Students

3. Steamboat Springs High School

A+

SchoolGrade

81%

Actual Test Scores

44%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Steamboat Springs School District No. Re 2 • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 842 Students

4. Fairview High School

A+

SchoolGrade

76%

Actual Test Scores

67%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1880 Students

5. Fossil Ridge High School

A+

SchoolGrade

76%

Actual Test Scores

60%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Poudre School District R-1 • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2053 Students

6. Denver School Of The Arts

A+

SchoolGrade

76%

Actual Test Scores

57%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

School District No. 1 In The County Of Denver And State Of C • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 1058 Students

7. Windsor Charter Academy Early College High School

A+

SchoolGrade

74%

Actual Test Scores

41%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-4 • Charter • Grades 9 - 12 • 375 Students

8. Tca College Pathways

A+

SchoolGrade

73%

Actual Test Scores

53%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Academy School District No. 20 In The County Of El Paso An • Charter • Grades 7 - 12 • 465 Students

9. Monarch High School

A+

SchoolGrade

73%

Actual Test Scores

65%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1523 Students

10. Arapahoe High School

A+

SchoolGrade

71%

Actual Test Scores

53%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Littleton School District No. 6 In The County Of Arapahoe • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1820 Students

See all 363 high schools here ranked

Best Middle Schools in Colorado

Middle schools
291
Students
139,645
Avg actual
37%
Avg projected
29%
Impact
meet expectations

The top middle schools in Colorado, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Summit Middle Charter School

A+

SchoolGrade

88%

Actual Test Scores

63%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 • Charter • Grades 6 - 8 • 359 Students

2. Southern Hills Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

80%

Actual Test Scores

59%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 456 Students

3. Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

80%

Actual Test Scores

58%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Poudre School District R-1 • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 748 Students

4. Morey Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

78%

Actual Test Scores

44%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

School District No. 1 In The County Of Denver And State Of C • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 446 Students

5. Crest Academy

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

38%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Salida School District No. R-32 • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 58 Students

6. Denver Green School Northfield

A+

SchoolGrade

73%

Actual Test Scores

54%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

School District No. 1 In The County Of Denver And State Of C • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 539 Students

7. Mcauliffe International School

A+

SchoolGrade

72%

Actual Test Scores

45%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

School District No. 1 In The County Of Denver And State Of C • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 1487 Students

8. Rocky Heights Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

69%

Actual Test Scores

51%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Douglas County School District No. Re 1 • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 1162 Students

9. Eads Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

69%

Actual Test Scores

31%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Kiowa County School District No. Re-1 • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 48 Students

10. Altona Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

68%

Actual Test Scores

46%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 770 Students

See all 253 middle schools here ranked

Best Elementary Schools in Colorado

Elementary schools
1,219
Students
430,023
Avg actual
39%
Avg projected
34%
Impact
meet expectations

The top elementary schools in Colorado, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Polaris Elementary School

A+

SchoolGrade

94%

Actual Test Scores

71%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

School District No. 1 In The County Of Denver And State Of C • Public • Grades 1 - 5 • 328 Students

2. Challenge School

A+

SchoolGrade

91%

Actual Test Scores

67%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Cherry Creek School District No. 5 In The County Of Arapah • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 550 Students

3. High Peaks Elementary School

A+

SchoolGrade

89%

Actual Test Scores

68%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 266 Students

4. Dennison Elementary School

A+

SchoolGrade

89%

Actual Test Scores

52%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Jefferson County School District No. R-1 • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 612 Students

5. Hulstrom Options K-8 School

A+

SchoolGrade

88%

Actual Test Scores

73%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Adams 12 Five Star Schools • Public • Grades KG - 8 • 645 Students

6. Aurora Quest K-8

A+

SchoolGrade

88%

Actual Test Scores

59%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Aurora Joint District No. 28 Of The Counties Of Adams And A • Public • Grades KG - 8 • 589 Students

7. Bear Creek Elementary School

A+

SchoolGrade

87%

Actual Test Scores

63%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 342 Students

8. Parker Core Knowledge Charter School

A+

SchoolGrade

85%

Actual Test Scores

65%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Douglas County School District No. Re 1 • Charter • Grades KG - 8 • 706 Students

9. Zach Elementary School

A+

SchoolGrade

85%

Actual Test Scores

69%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Poudre School District R-1 • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 475 Students

10. Slavens K-8 School

A+

SchoolGrade

83%

Actual Test Scores

59%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

School District No. 1 In The County Of Denver And State Of C • Public • Grades KG - 8 • 752 Students

See all 952 elementary schools here ranked

Education & Community Snapshot in Colorado

State-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.

Community Factors

Colorado has a total population of 5,773,714 with 24% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 93%, and 45% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Students in Colorado

920,791

K-12 Students

High School Graduates

93%

Adults 25+ with HS diplomas

College Graduates

45%

Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher

Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Colorado.

Safety

Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.

Overall Crime Grade

F

36.04 per 1,000 Residents

Violent Crime Grade

D-

5.30 per 1,000 Residents

Property Crime Grade

F

30.74 per 1,000 Residents

Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Colorado.

Connectivity

Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Colorado.

ISP Report Card

B

Internet Infrastructure Grade

Average Download Speed

2,721 Mbps

Speed Most Residents Can Get

Digital Connectivity Index

77 / 100

ISP Connectivity Demand Report

To read more about these statistics, please visit Colorado Internet Health Assessment.

Questions About Schools in Colorado

How many schools are in Colorado?

Colorado has 2,205 public schools: 429 high schools, 291 middle schools and 1,219 elementary schools, serving 920,791 students in total.

How do schools in Colorado perform on state tests?

On average, 2,205 schools in Colorado score 39% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 34%, so on average schools in Colorado meet expectations.

How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Colorado?

Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.

Best Schools in Cities Near Colorado

Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.

Wyoming

  • Actual: 53%
  • Projected: 45%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
New Mexico

  • Actual: 34%
  • Projected: 33%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Utah

  • Actual: 44%
  • Projected: 39%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Nebraska

  • Actual: 62%
  • Projected: 49%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Kansas

  • Actual: 42%
  • Projected: 35%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
South Dakota

  • Actual: 45%
  • Projected: 41%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Oklahoma

  • Actual: 26%
  • Projected: 26%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Idaho

  • Actual: 44%
  • Projected: 42%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Nevada

  • Actual: 33%
  • Projected: 30%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Iowa

  • Actual: 72%
  • Projected: 56%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations

Every city and county in Colorado

School rankings for each place: 844 cities, towns and neighborhoods, and 64 counties.

Counties

Cities and towns

School district map of Colorado

Every public school district in Colorado with graded schools. Hover for the district and its school count; click to open its page.

shaded by the district's average SchoolGrade, F to A; grey = not yet graded. Boundaries from the NCES EDGE composite school district file. Districts without a page (fewer than three graded schools) are not linked.

Largest school districts in Colorado

The 25 districts with the most graded schools in Colorado. Each district page lists every one of its schools.