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B+

Adams 12 Five Star Schools

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 5 towns

Serves Thornton, Westminster, Broomfield, Northglenn and Federal Heights.

Thornton’s School Grade B+ better than 65% of Colorado school districts

Students
34,466
Schools
54
Spent per student
$15,831
CO $15,889
Students per teacher
17:1
Free or reduced lunch
50%
Debt
$327.6M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Adams 12 Five Star Schools

  • Its letter, B+: results better than 67% of Colorado districts
  • 17 students per teacher
  • Enrollment down 5.8% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $327.6M, about $9,505 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B+: better than 67% of the 169 Colorado school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math close to the state, 2021–22
B+
GraduationFour-year graduation above the state, class of 2023
B−
The towns it serves, and their School Grades

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Thornton. Grade by grade →

PK–516 elementary schoolsSchool District 27J
6–87 middle schoolsThis district
9–123 high schoolsThis district

Test scores vs. CO

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency32%
State average 31.8% · 16,048 students tested
Reading / language arts43%
State average 44.9% · 16,071 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)85%
State average 82.7% · 2,925 in the class

85% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$15,831 per student · 0% below CO
Spending
Classroom instruction 54%Support & administration 42%Other 4%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 48%State 44%Federal 8%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
36,604’20
36,033’21
35,699’22
34,998’23
34,466’24

Down 5.8% since 2020–21.

Students
Hispanic 46%White 39%Asian 7%Two or more races 5%Black 2%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

54 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Colorado’s other public schools.

STEM Lab
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Northglenn
A−
740 students18:1
Thunder Vista P-8
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Broomfield
A
725 students16:1
Mountain View Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Broomfield
B
517 students16:1
Hunters Glen Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Thornton
C+
491 students18:1
Tarver Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Thornton
C+
475 students21:1
Arapahoe Ridge Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Westminster
B−
465 students18:1
Malley Drive Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Northglenn
C−
435 students18:1
Federal Heights Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Denver
D−
430 students14:1
Coronado Hills Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Thornton
D−
412 students15:1
Westview Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Northglenn
C
402 students15:1
Thornton Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Thornton
D
387 students14:1
Woodglen Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Thornton
C−
383 students17:1
Riverdale Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Thornton
D
372 students16:1
Cherry Drive Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Thornton
C−
325 students16:1
North Star Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Denver
D
320 students15:1
North Mor Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Northglenn
D
304 students16:1
Centennial Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Broomfield
C
293 students13:1
Bright Horizons Preschool
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Thornton
36 students
Stargate Charter School
Other · Grades K–12 · Thornton
A+
1,572 students19:1
Prospect Ridge Academy
Other · Grades K–12 · Broomfield
A
1,478 students19:1
STEM Launch
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Thornton
D
677 students15:1
Hulstrom K-8
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Northglenn
A+
663 students18:1
Westgate Community School
Other · Grades K–12 · Thornton
B
540 students20:1
Silver Creek Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Thornton
A−
538 students18:1
Meridian Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Broomfield
A
525 students18:1
Cotton Creek Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Westminster
B+
455 students15:1
Eagleview Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Thornton
B−
451 students17:1
Leroy Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Northglenn
C+
435 students15:1
Stellar Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Thornton
B−
418 students17:1
Glacier Peak Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Brighton
C
412 students17:1
Coyote Ridge Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Broomfield
A
392 students16:1
Prairie Hills Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Thornton
B+
378 students18:1
McElwain Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Thornton
D−
361 students14:1
Stukey Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Northglenn
D
348 students14:1
Hillcrest Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Northglenn
D
338 students14:1
Skyview Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Thornton
B+
326 students13:1
Rocky Mountain Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Westminster
D−
318 students14:1
The Studio School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Northglenn
C
215 students13:1
Five Star Online Academy
Other · Grades 1–12 · Westminster
506 students15:1
Rocky Top Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Thornton
A−
1,052 students18:1
Silver Hills Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Northglenn
C
965 students18:1
Westlake Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Broomfield
A−
853 students19:1
Thornton Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Thornton
D−
721 students16:1
Century Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Thornton
C+
717 students19:1
Northglenn Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Northglenn
D
672 students16:1
Shadow Ridge Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Thornton
C−
632 students16:1
Pathways Future Center
High · Grades 6–12 · Thornton
C−
386 students19:1
Vantage Point
High · Grades 6–12 · Northglenn
D−
331 students10:1
Legacy High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Broomfield
A
2,052 students21:1
Horizon High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Brighton
A−
1,966 students20:1
Northglenn High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Northglenn
C+
1,844 students19:1
Mountain Range High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Westminster
B
1,788 students21:1
Thornton High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Thornton
C−
1,439 students16:1
New America School - Thornton
High · Grades 9–12 · Thornton
C
190 students27:1

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Colorado.