Best Public Schools in Lone Tree, CO

Lone Tree, Colorado, is a suburban community served by four schools—two elementary schools, one K-12 charter school, and one small high school—enrolling about 1,930 students, with no standalone middle school or traditional comprehensive high school within city limits. The two elementary schools, Lone Tree Elementary and Eagle Ridge Elementary School, are part of the highly rated Douglas County School District Re 1, while Ascent Classical Academy of Douglas County falls under the State Charter School Institute.

Among the elementaries, Lone Tree Elementary is the clear academic leader, ranking in the top 4% of Colorado elementary schools with 76.4% ELA and 71.8% math proficiency, far exceeding state averages. Eagle Ridge Elementary is solidly above average but trails significantly, with 56.1% ELA and 53.2% math proficiency, plus a chronic absenteeism rate nearly three times higher. At the secondary level, Ascent Classical Academy posts exceptional high school results, including 90% proficiency on SAT Reading/Writing and a 94.7% graduation rate, although its elementary and middle school CMAS scores are more uneven. In contrast, Eagle Academy is a small high school facing serious challenges, with a 42.2% graduation rate, 10.6% dropout rate, and 40.5% chronic absenteeism, indicating it likely serves a high-need, credit-recovery population.

The most important takeaway for parents is the stark contrast within the same city: Lone Tree Elementary benefits from very low poverty (6.89% free/reduced lunch) and low absenteeism, while Eagle Ridge has a 30.82% free/reduced lunch rate, which aligns with its lower scores. Ascent Classical’s split profile—weak early grades but stellar 11th-grade results—suggests families should evaluate it by grade band. Eagle Academy, despite its concerning metrics, offers a small student-teacher ratio of 9.1-to-1, showing district investment in at-risk students. Finally, because there is no traditional middle school, families seeking that experience will likely need to look outside Lone Tree unless they choose a K-12 charter option.