Best Public Schools in Highlands Ranch, CO

The city of Highlands Ranch, Colorado is home to a robust educational system with 26 schools, including 17 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 4 high schools, and 2 alternative schools, all part of the Douglas County School District No. Re 1. This district is ranked 9th out of 115 school districts in Colorado and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating a strong commitment to academic excellence across the region.

Several schools in Highlands Ranch stand out for their exceptional performance, including Rock Canyon High School, ranked 17th out of 328 Colorado high schools with a 5-star rating and an impressive 84.2% 4-year graduation rate. The STEM School Highlands Ranch, an alternative public charter school, also demonstrates exceptional academic achievement with high proficiency rates across various subjects and grade levels. At the elementary level, Stone Mountain Elementary and Heritage Elementary are ranked 16th and 19th out of 950 Colorado elementary schools, respectively, with 5-star ratings and strong academic performance.

While the schools in Highlands Ranch generally exhibit high levels of academic achievement, with graduation rates ranging from 84.2% to 84.2% and a wide range of proficiency rates on state assessments, there are also areas for potential improvement. The district-wide chronic absenteeism rate, for example, is consistently high, ranging from 27.7% to 27.7% across the schools. Additionally, the free/reduced lunch rates, which vary from 3.46% to 27.38%, suggest varying levels of economic diversity that may impact the resources and support available to students. Overall, the Highlands Ranch educational landscape offers families a range of high-performing school options, with a district-wide commitment to academic excellence.