Another surprise: Only three of this year's ten most outstanding Colorado high schools appear in our posts about the U.S. News & World Report surveys for both the years 2014 and 2016.
Other elements common among the high schools rated best in Colorado is a low student-teacher ratio (the range goes from a modest 22 students per teacher to an unusual nine-to-one correlation), smallish student bodies (several are attended by only a few hundred pupils) and relatively few teens who qualify as economically disadvantaged.
Still, there's a big exception to the latter rule. The state's number-two school, according to U.S. News & World Report, boasts a student body that's almost entirely disadvantaged from a financial standpoint — proof that students in these circumstances can excel if given the right support.
Oh, yeah: While Peak to Peak Charter School lands in the number-one slot again, as it did in 2014 and 2016, its national ranking currently stands at 111, versus 66 in 2014 and 64 in 2015.
Continue to count down the ten Colorado high schools with the best grades, using U.S. News & World Report data.
Number 10: Evergreen High School
29300 Buffalo Road
Evergreen, Colorado 80439
303-982-5140
Evergreen High School is ranked 10th within Colorado. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement course work and exams. The AP participation rate at Evergreen High School is 69 percent. The student body makeup is 52 percent male and 48 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 10 percent. Evergreen High School is 1 of 29 high schools in the Jefferson County School District No. R-1.
Grades
9-12
Total Enrollment
1,058
Student-Teacher Ratio
21:1
Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
10 percent
Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
9 percent
Full-Time Teachers
50
College Readiness Index
59.6
AP Tested
69 percent
AP Passed
81 percent
Mathematics Proficiency
62 percent
Reading Proficiency
55 percent
National rankings
Number 464
Number 9: Telluride High School
725 West Colorado Avenue
Telluride, Colorado 81435
970-728-4377
Telluride High School is ranked 9th within Colorado. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement course work and exams. The AP participation rate at Telluride High School is 77 percent. The student body makeup is 54 percent male and 46 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 23 percent. Telluride High School is the only high school in the Telluride School District .
Grades
9-12
Total Enrollment
244
Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
Total Enrollment
244
Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
23 percent
Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
23 percent
Full-Time Teachers
18
College Readiness Index
61.3
AP Tested
77 percent
AP Passed
73 percent
Mathematics Proficiency
39 percent
Reading Proficiency
63 percent
National rankings
Number 423
Denver School of the Arts.
File photo
7111 Montview Boulevard
Denver, Colorado 80220
720-424-1700
Denver School of the Arts is ranked 8th within Colorado. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement course work and exams. The AP participation rate at Denver School of the Arts is 86 percent. The student body makeup is 38 percent male and 62 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 30 percent. Denver School of the Arts is 1 of 50 high schools in School District No. 1 in the City and County of Denver.
Grades
6-12
Total Enrollment
1,089
Student-Teacher Ratio
22:1
Total Enrollment
1,089
Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
30 percent
Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
11 percent
Full-Time Teachers
51
College Readiness Index
62.8
AP Tested
86 percent
AP Passed
65 percent
Mathematics Proficiency
70 percent
Reading Proficiency
89 percent
National Ranking
Number 381
The Vanguard School.
File photo
1832 South Wahsatch
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80906
719-471-1999
The Vanguard School is ranked 7th within Colorado. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement course work and exams. The AP participation rate at The Vanguard School is 73 percent. The student body makeup is 48 percent male and 52 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 40 percent. The Vanguard School is 1 of 2 high schools in the Cheyenne Mountain School District No. 12.
Grades
9-12
Total Enrollment
282
Student-Teacher Ratio
9:1
Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
40 percent
Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
19 percent
Full-Time Teachers
30
College Readiness Index
65.2
AP Tested
73 percent
AP Passed
86 percent
Mathematics Proficiency
77 percent
Reading Proficiency
69 percent
National Ranking
Number 329
Number 6: Denver Center for International Studies
574 West 6th Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80204
720-423-9000
Denver Center for International Studies is ranked 6th within Colorado. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement course work and exams. The AP participation rate at Denver Center for International Studies is 95 percent. The student body makeup is 41 percent male and 59 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 74 percent. Denver Center for International Studies is 1 of 50 high schools in the School District No. 1 In The County Of Denver And State Of Colorado.
Grades
6-12
Total Enrollment
739
Student-Teacher Ratio
19:1
Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
74 percent
Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
55 percent
Full-Time Teachers
39
College Readiness Index
66.7
AP Tested
95 percent
AP Passed
61 percent
Mathematics Proficiency
57 percent
Reading Proficiency
57 percent
National ranking
297
DSST Stapleton.
File photo
2000 Valentia Street
Denver, Colorado 80238
303-320-5570
DSST: Stapleton High School is ranked 5th within Colorado. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement course work and exams. The AP participation rate at DSST: Stapleton High School is 75 percent. The student body makeup is 51 percent male and 49 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 71 percent. DSST: Stapleton High School is 1 of 50 high schools in the School District No. 1 In The County Of Denver And State Of Colorado.
Grades
9-12
Total Enrollment
523
Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
71 percent
Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
53 percent
Full-Time Teachers
39
College Readiness Index
73.0
AP Tested
75 percent
AP Passed
96 percent
Mathematics Proficiency
68 percent
Reading Proficiency
68 percent
National Ranking
204
Number 4: Liberty Common Charter School
1725 Sharpe Point Drive
Fort Collins, Colorado 80525
970-482-9800
Liberty Common Charter School is ranked 4th within Colorado. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement course work and exams. The AP participation rate at Liberty Common Charter School is 80 percent. The student body makeup is 49 percent male and 51 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 13 percent. Liberty Common Charter School is 1 of 10 high schools in the Poudre School District R-1.
Grades
KG-12
Total Enrollment
1,101
Student-Teacher Ratio
19:1
Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
13 percent
Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
3 percent
Full-Time Teachers
57
College Readiness Index
73.1
AP Tested
80 percent
AP Passed
88 percent
Mathematics Proficiency
77 percent
Reading Proficiency
77 percent
National Ranking
Number 203
D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School.
File photo
10359 W. Nassau Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80235
303-982-2600
D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School is ranked 3rd within Colorado. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement course work and exams. The AP participation rate at D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School is 82 percent. The student body makeup is 46 percent male and 54 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 24 percent. D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School is 1 of 29 high schools in the Jefferson County School District No. R-1.
Grades
7-12
Total Enrollment
1,022
Student-Teacher Ratio
21:1
Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
24 percent
Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
6 percent
Full-Time Teachers
49
College Readiness Index
74.7
AP Tested
82 percent
AP Passed
88 percent
Mathematics Proficiency
71 percent
Reading Proficiency
74 percent
National Ranking
Number 183
Number 2: KIPP Denver Collegiate High School
451 South Tejon Street
Denver, Colorado 80223
303-922-5324
KIPP Denver Collegiate High School is ranked 2nd within Colorado. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement course work and exams. The AP participation rate at KIPP Denver Collegiate High School is 84 percent. The student body makeup is 48 percent male and 52 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 99 percent. KIPP Denver Collegiate High School is 1 of 50 high schools in the School District No. 1 In The County Of Denver And State Of Colorado.
Grades
9-12
Total Enrollment
380
Student-Teacher Ratio
10:1
Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
99 percent
Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
94 percent
Full-Time Teachers
37
College Readiness Index
78.9
AP Tested
84 percent
AP Passed
92 percent
Mathematics Proficiency
19 percent
Reading Proficiency
42 percent
National Ranking
Number 154
Peak to Peak Charter School.
File photo
800 Merlin Drive
Lafayette, Colorado 80026
303-453-4600
Peak to Peak Charter School is ranked 1st within Colorado. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement course work and exams. The AP participation rate at Peak to Peak Charter School is 97 percent. The student body makeup is 51 percent male and 49 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 27 percent. Peak to Peak Charter School is 1 of 12 high schools in the Boulder Valley School District.
Grades
KG-12
Total Enrollment
1,446
Student-Teacher Ratio
22:1
Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
27 percent
Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
7 percent
Full-Time Teachers
67
College Readiness Index
83.7
AP Tested
97 percent
AP Passed
82 percent
Mathematics Proficiency
58 percent
Reading Proficiency
67 percent
National Ranking
Number 111
