Summary:
Castle Pines, Colorado, is served by just one school—American Academy—a large PK-8 campus enrolling 2,803 students and operating within the highly regarded Douglas County School District No. Re 1. Although labeled an elementary school, it spans kindergarten through 8th grade, giving it the unusual profile of a combined elementary and middle school with a very large student body.
American Academy is an exceptionally strong school, ranking 85th out of 943 Colorado schools in 2025-2026—the top 9% statewide with a 5-star rating, up from 104th two years earlier. It outperforms its district, which itself ranks 6th among 115 Colorado districts, in 15 of 16 grade and subject test combinations, and exceeds state averages in all 16. In 2025-2026, ELA proficiency reached 71.5% versus 44.7% statewide, math hit 65.3% versus 37.3% statewide, and 5th grade science was 69.7% versus 36.1% statewide. Its strongest results come from 7th graders, with 84% proficient in ELA and 69.1% in math. The only blemish is 3rd grade ELA, where the school's 54.6% trails its district's 57.6%, though it still beats the state by nearly 14 points.
The school serves a highly advantaged population, with only 6.42% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch and a chronic absenteeism rate of 6.3%—less than one-quarter of the state's 28.4%. Its student-teacher ratio is 17.7 to 1, and the dropout rate is 0.0%. Two trends deserve attention: 8th grade science proficiency fell sharply from 75.5% to 61.3% year-over-year, and overall math dipped from 68.0% to 65.3%, while ELA held steady. Despite these minor concerns, American Academy remains a top-tier academic institution and an elite educational choice for families in Castle Pines.
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