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Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning

Q: Is Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning a good school?

Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning ranks 360 th of 943 Colorado alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public, Alternative Grades K-12

360^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 943 Colorado Alternative Schools

Better than 62% of Colorado alternative schools

Summary

Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning (RMSEL) is a small K-12 alternative school in Denver, CO, serving just 382 students in the Denver 1 school district with a hands-on, expeditionary learning model that emphasizes project-based and place-based education.

What truly sets RMSEL apart is its exceptional attendance record. With a chronic absenteeism rate of just 5.8% for 2024-2025 — compared to the state average of 28.4% — this school dramatically outperforms nearby alternatives like Aurora Central Campus (69.4%) and Lotus School for Excellence (21.2%). Academically, RMSEL consistently beats Colorado state averages on CMAS tests, and its 90.5% graduation rate with a 0.0% dropout rate is a standout. The school's strongest grade is 6th, where 73.3% of students hit proficiency in ELA and 61.4% in math — roughly 30 points above state averages. High school reading and writing scores are also strong, with SAT reading/writing at 86% proficiency.

However, there are areas to watch. Early elementary math trails state averages, with just 22.7% of 3rd graders proficient in math versus 41.5% statewide. High school math readiness has also shown volatility, with recent PSAT10 math scores dipping well below state levels. While RMSEL outperforms the high-poverty schools closest to it in Aurora, it still trails top regional performers like STEM School Highlands Ranch (70.5% ELA proficiency) and Skyview Academy (97.1% graduation rate). With a free/reduced lunch rate of just 2.36%, RMSEL serves a largely economically advantaged population, which should be considered when interpreting its outcomes. Overall, its combination of strong attendance, engaged students, and solid academics makes it a compelling option for families seeking a small, community-based school.

382

Students ?

16.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,809

Per pupil spending ?

2.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1700 South Holly Street
Denver, CO 80222-3928

(303) 759-2076

District: Denver 1

Racial breakdown:

White:

77.7%

Hispanic:

13.4%

Two or more races:

6.8%

See top rated Colorado elementary schools

Compare Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 83rd percentile in 2023 → 52nd in 2026

Strengths

✓90% graduate in 4 years — above the Colorado average (84%)

✓Above the Colorado median (62nd percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 31 percentile points since 2023

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Mathematics scores 15 pts below the Colorado average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school46%

District avg46%

Colorado avg42%

Elementary school

360^th of 943

Colorado public elementary schools ?

Top 38%▼ down 8 pts since 2016

From top 30% (2016) to top 38% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Colorado Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

134^th of 469

Colorado public middle schools ?

Top 29%▲ up 16 pts since 2016

From top 45% (2016) to top 29% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Colorado Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

162^nd of 338

Colorado public high schools ?

Top 48%▼ down 15 pts since 2016

From top 33% (2016) to top 48% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Colorado High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	59.7	360 of 943	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	73.6	238 of 950	74.9%	★★★★☆
2024	69.9	264 of 943	72.0%	★★★★☆
2023	69.3	258 of 933	72.3%	★★★★☆
2022	59.4	342 of 921	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	50.9	373 of 710	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	69.8	261 of 965	73.0%	★★★★☆
2018	74.3	211 of 917	77.0%	★★★★☆
2017	73.6	222 of 929	76.1%	★★★★☆
2016	66.9	275 of 914	69.9%	★★★★☆
2015	70.4	240 of 938	74.4%	★★★★☆
2014	66.2	317 of 962	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2013	72.4	255 of 954	73.3%	★★★★☆
2012	76.0	205 of 935	78.1%	★★★★☆
2011	69.4	296 of 935	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	66.1	331 of 925	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2009	70.3	261 of 872	70.1%	★★★★☆
2008	56.2	415 of 849	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2007	59.9	379 of 852	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2006	66.9	296 of 829	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2005	44.1	509 of 823	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2004	45.3	486 of 808	39.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	57.4	237 of 546	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	69.3	141 of 539	73.8%	★★★★☆
2023	49.4	265 of 525	49.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.1	242 of 454	46.7%	★★☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	67.1	134 of 469	71.4%	★★★★☆
2025	72.0	115 of 469	75.5%	★★★★☆
2024	71.5	120 of 485	75.3%	★★★★☆
2023	76.2	93 of 480	80.6%	★★★★☆
2022	71.0	107 of 448	76.1%	★★★★☆
2021	77.7	65 of 369	82.4%	★★★★☆
2019	76.5	83 of 458	81.9%	★★★★☆
2018	80.6	61 of 418	85.4%	★★★★☆
2017	66.8	110 of 424	74.1%	★★★★☆
2016	48.7	179 of 400	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2015	72.5	82 of 436	81.2%	★★★★☆
2014	74.4	103 of 461	77.7%	★★★★☆
2013	69.2	131 of 454	71.1%	★★★★☆
2012	69.6	129 of 425	69.6%	★★★★☆
2011	57.6	188 of 422	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2010	66.5	133 of 409	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2009	69.1	108 of 377	71.4%	★★★★☆
2008	51.2	190 of 362	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2007	61.9	136 of 360	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2006	51.9	176 of 346	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2005	51.9	174 of 340	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2004	47.5	176 of 336	47.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	34.8	218 of 365	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	66.2	104 of 347	70.0%	★★★★☆
2024	74.6	73 of 350	79.1%	★★★★☆
2023	87.5	35 of 363	90.4%	★★★★★
2022	64.5	100 of 326	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	69.3	60 of 254	76.4%	★★★★☆
2019	75.1	75 of 352	78.7%	★★★★☆
2018	73.6	63 of 315	80.0%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	54.3	140 of 369	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	52.7	143 of 352	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.4	130 of 357	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.8	136 of 356	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	65.2	97 of 328	70.4%	★★★★☆
2021	74.3	50 of 249	79.9%	★★★★☆
2019	71.9	81 of 343	76.4%	★★★★☆
2018	76.4	50 of 317	84.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	57.6	107 of 275	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	41.5	160 of 275	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	59.7	101 of 273	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	61.4	92 of 286	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.3	128 of 265	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	74.8	36 of 203	82.3%	★★★★☆
2019	58.1	102 of 283	64.0%	★★★☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	47.2	162 of 338	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	65.4	113 of 328	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.9	118 of 349	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	81.7	58 of 349	83.4%	★★★★☆
2022	81.6	30 of 221	86.4%	★★★★☆
2021	83.6	26 of 210	87.6%	★★★★☆
2019	75.9	82 of 411	80.0%	★★★★☆
2018	78.7	69 of 388	82.2%	★★★★☆
2017	28.7	166 of 256	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2016	50.6	84 of 255	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2015	36.2	166 of 292	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2014	65.5	118 of 369	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2013	69.6	102 of 349	70.8%	★★★★☆
2012	74.4	73 of 334	78.1%	★★★★☆
2011	55.5	163 of 337	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2010	57.3	158 of 327	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2009	63.4	116 of 310	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2008	72.4	86 of 301	71.4%	★★★★☆
2007	72.1	80 of 298	73.2%	★★★★☆
2006	46.1	168 of 286	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2005	64.8	96 of 280	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2004	53.1	137 of 279	50.9%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2022	91.8	8 of 228	96.5%	★★★★★
2021	69.1	68 of 225	69.8%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

White (2026)57th percentile-5 vs school

Middle school

Male (2026)62nd percentile-9 vs school

White (2026)61st percentile-10 vs school

Female (2026)40th percentile-31 vs school

High school

White (2022)96th percentile+10 vs school

By subject vs Colorado (2025-2026) ?

Reading and Writing76%+11 vs state

English Language Arts50%+5 vs state

Science43%+7 vs state

Math41%+4 vs state

Mathematics24%-15 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, August 27, 2019

RMSEL is an incredible school that pioneered Expeditionary Learning. Kids learn actual life skills in addition to academic necessities. Leadership and teachers are first rate and the community is warm and inviting. Our kids have excelled at the school and we have loved being a part of the community for 10+ years. Real life is hard and RMSEL prepares kids for it with passion and creativity. Parents who are involved and understand that challenging your kids is great for building their character will find the experience better than any other possible school. 11/10 I would recommend RMSEL to families who want to work hard to make a positive impact on the world.

RMSEL teachers are incredible. They challenge students to reach their potential and continue to support their learning long beyond the time they had them in their class. With students at the school for over 10 years we have seen teachers come and go and new teachers continue to impress us.

Leaders need to lead and the quality of leadership at RMSEL has continued to increase in the last decade. Our experience in the last decade has been that kids are number one and Chad has done an excellent job of prioritizing them over anything else. My kids love the leaders in the school and they continue to create an environment that challenges students and prepares them for the real world.

With multiple students in need of special help we have been extremely happy with the accommodations of teachers and staff in helping our kids succeed.

RMSEL deals very well with bullying in our experience. Our concerns have been addressed promptly and in a way that promotes growth in our students. Unfortunately there are several parents who do not believe their student could be a bully and do very little to address their issues.

As a parent who runs a business I believe it's important to balance achievement and work ethic. The homework my kids have received has never been cumbersome and has encouraged practice over busy-ness.

I HIGHLY recommend RMSEL for students who want to prepare themselves for real life. Close Quote

Schools Near Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				PSAT10 Reading and Writing (2026)	PSAT10 Mathematics (2026)	PSAT9 Reading and Writing (2026)	PSAT9 Mathematics (2026)	SAT Reading and Writing (2026)	SAT Mathematics (2026)	CMAS English Language Arts (2026)							CMAS Math (2026)							CMAS Science (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT10 Reading and Writing 10th Grade	PSAT10 Mathematics 10th Grade	PSAT9 Reading and Writing 9th Grade	PSAT9 Mathematics 9th Grade	SAT Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math 6th Grade	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	CMAS Science 8th Grade	CMAS Science 11th Grade	Total
Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning	Public, Alternative	K-12	1700 South Holly Street	Denver	80222	Denver County	Denver 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 759-2076	382	24	16.1	2.4%	297 (77.7%)	5 (1.3%)	51 (13.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (6.8%)								(n/a)	76.0	24.0					45.5	43.5	34.8	73.3	51.3	39.6	50.0	22.7	26.1	31.8	61.4	48.7	37.5	41.4	54.5	37.5		$12,809
Lotus School for Excellence	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	11001-A East Alameda Avenue	Aurora	80012	Arapahoe County	Aurora Joint District No. 28	Yes	No	No	Yes	(303) 360-0052	1,008	66	15.2	91.8%	110 (10.9%)	393 (39.0%)	452 (44.8%)	17 (1.7%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (3.3%)								(n/a)	53.0	36.0	45.0	26.0	44.0	24.0	39.2	27.6	26.9	25.5	48.0	29.1	32.9	39.2	26.3	16.7	18.0	23.8	22.1	23.8	26.9	10.6		$15,356
Aurora Central Campus	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	11700 East 11th Ave	Aurora	80010	Arapahoe County	Aurora Joint District No. 28	No	No	No	No	(303) 340-1600	2,468	138	17.8	89.3%	186 (7.5%)	332 (13.5%)	1,723 (69.8%)	71 (2.9%)	24 (1.0%)	28 (1.1%)	104 (4.2%)								(n/a)	24.0	13.0	27.0	13.0	19.0	9.0	23.8	37.8	25.7	42.1	37.3	26.9	33.2	23.8	31.1	17.1	28.1	22.7	27.5	25.3		9.6	3.9	$17,881
Vanguard Classical School - East	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	17101 East Ohio Drive	Aurora	80017	Arapahoe County	Aurora Joint District No. 28	Yes	No	No	No	(303) 338-4110	690	48	14.3	79.7%	76 (11.0%)	269 (39.0%)	301 (43.6%)	16 (2.3%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	24 (3.5%)								(n/a)	27.0		25.0	12.0	22.0		9.4	17.5	28.8	17.8	35.2	30.4	23.6	20.8	9.5	9.6	12.3	18.3	21.7	15.5	15.4	10.1		$11,675
Skyview Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	6161 Business Center Drive	Highlands Ranch	80124	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	Yes	No	No	No	(303) 471-8439	1,358	84	16.1	15.1%	735 (54.1%)	31 (2.3%)	184 (13.5%)	274 (20.2%)	9 (0.7%)	3 (0.2%)	122 (9.0%)								(n/a)	88.0	64.0	79.0	61.0	81.0	56.0	49.0	45.5	61.5	56.2	52.9	75.0	56.4	57.1	33.3	50.0	58.7	39.1	70.0	51.4	53.2	62.9	55.0	$11,927
Colorado Summit Connections Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	8 Inverness Drive E #110	Englewood	80112	Arapahoe County	Education Reenvisioned BOCES	No	No	Yes	No	(303) 794-2302	1,245	69	18.1		650 (52.2%)	58 (4.7%)	419 (33.7%)	13 (1.0%)	15 (1.2%)	7 (0.6%)	83 (6.7%)								(n/a)	71.0	39.0	60.0		70.0				23.8	24.0	21.9	33.3	23.9			23.8				13.5		20.4		$10,280
Colorado Connections @ 27J	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	8 Inverness Drive E Suite 240	Englewood	80112	Arapahoe County	School District 27J	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(303) 794-2302	2,042	92	22.2		1,067 (52.3%)	124 (6.1%)	646 (31.6%)	35 (1.7%)	20 (1.0%)	17 (0.8%)	131 (6.4%)								(n/a)	59.0		70.0	20.0	61.0			28.6	41.2		29.2	22.1	25.0	14.3		26.5		14.6	10.4	13.9	28.1	17.5		$4,480
Ascent Classical Academy of Douglas County	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	10004 Park Meadows Drive	Lone Tree	80124	Douglas County	State Charter School Institute	Yes	No	No	No	(720) 531-8775	852	56	15.2		661 (77.6%)	8 (0.9%)	86 (10.1%)	66 (7.7%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	27 (3.2%)								(n/a)	93.0	43.0	85.0	58.0	90.0	57.0	25.0	30.1	51.3	45.3	70.1	32.9	41.3	44.8	54.8	51.9	49.3	50.7	34.2	47.5	36.4	32.4	60.0	$10,576
STEM School Highlands Ranch	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	8773 Ridgeline Drive	Highlands Ranch	80129	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	Yes	No	No	No	(303) 683-7836	1,394	79	17.6	13.5%	707 (50.7%)	35 (2.5%)	168 (12.1%)	367 (26.3%)	4 (0.3%)	5 (0.4%)	108 (7.7%)								(n/a)	90.0	70.0	82.0	63.0	91.0	62.0	80.0	70.7	65.1	68.2	76.7	65.3	70.5	74.7	63.3	60.4	56.5	60.2	59.5	61.3	54.7	56.2	59.3	$15,365
Miller Special Education	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	200 Kipling Street	Lakewood	80226	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	No	(303) 982-7200	97	19	5.1	38.1%	64 (66.0%)	1 (1.0%)	24 (24.7%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (7.2%)								(n/a)																								$73,738

Frequently Asked Questions about Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning

What is the racial makeup of Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning?

Students at Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning are 78% White, 13% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 1% African American.

How many students attend Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning?

In the 2024-25 school year, 382 students attended Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning.

What district is Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning in?

Denver 1

Is Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning a good school?

Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning ranks 360^th of 943 Colorado alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning!

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Latest Colorado data All new data »

2025–26 CMAS, PSAT10, PSAT9 & SAT test scoresNewAug 19, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataAug 27, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Colorado Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.