Education

Ten Best Colorado High Schools Aren’t in Top 100 Nationwide

The Colorado high schools ranked highest in the latest U.S. News & World Report analysis score better marks within the state than outside it. Not one of the top ten Colorado high schools in 2018 lands within the top one-hundred facilities nationwide, with the top finisher sliding 47 slots from just two years ago.

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The Colorado high schools ranked highest in the latest U.S. News & World Report analysis score better marks within the state than outside it. Not one of the top ten Colorado high schools in 2018 lands within the top 100 facilities nationwide, with the top finisher sliding 47 slots from just two years ago.

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.

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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.

Related

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

Related

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

Related

Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
23 percent

Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
23 percent

Full-Time Teachers
18

College Readiness Index
61.3

Related

AP Tested
77 percent

AP Passed
73 percent

Mathematics Proficiency
39 percent

Reading Proficiency
63 percent



National rankings
Number 423

Related

Denver School of the Arts.

File photo

Number 8: Denver School of the Arts

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

Related

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

Number 7: The Vanguard School

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

Related

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

Related

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

Related

Number 5: DSST: Stapleton High School

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

Related

Full-Time Teachers
39

College Readiness Index
73.0

AP Tested
75 percent

AP Passed
96 percent

Related

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

Related

Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
13 percent

Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
3 percent

Full-Time Teachers
57

College Readiness Index
73.1

Related

AP Tested
80 percent

AP Passed
88 percent

Mathematics Proficiency
77 percent

Reading Proficiency
77 percent

Related

National Ranking
Number 203


D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School.

File photo

Number 3: D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School

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

Related

Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
24 percent

Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
6 percent

Full-Time Teachers
49

College Readiness Index
74.7

Related

AP Tested
82 percent

AP Passed
88 percent

Mathematics Proficiency
71 percent

Reading Proficiency
74 percent

Related

National Ranking
Number 183


Students at KIPP.

Courtesy of KIPP Denver Collegiate High School

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

Related

Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
99 percent

Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
94 percent

Full-Time Teachers
37

College Readiness Index
78.9

Related

AP Tested
84 percent

AP Passed
92 percent

Mathematics Proficiency
19 percent

Reading Proficiency
42 percent

Related

National Ranking
Number 154


Peak to Peak Charter School.

File photo

Number 1: Peak to Peak Charter School

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

Related

Total Minority Enrollment (% of total)
27 percent

Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total)
7 percent

Full-Time Teachers
67

College Readiness Index
83.7

Related

AP Tested
97 percent

AP Passed
82 percent

Mathematics Proficiency
58 percent

Reading Proficiency
67 percent

Related

National Ranking
Number 111

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