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Independence Elementary School

Q: Is Independence Elementary School a good school?

Independence Elementary School ranks 618 th of 943 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

618^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Better than 34% of Colorado elementary schools

Summary

Independence Elementary School is a pre-K–5 elementary school in Aurora, Colorado, serving 439 students and belonging to the Cherry Creek School District No. 5, a 4-star district ranked 26th out of 115 Colorado districts. The school itself, however, sits well below district and state averages, ranking 618th out of 943 Colorado elementary schools (34th percentile) in 2025–2026—though this represents an improvement from the 17th percentile in 2018–2019 and the 23rd percentile in 2023–2024.

One of the most striking findings is a large gap between reading and math. In 2025–2026, 39.2% of students were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to just 23.0% in math—a 16-point gap that far exceeds the district's 5-point gap. Math proficiency is especially low in 3rd grade (19.7%) and 5th grade (17.3%). However, 4th grade stands out as a bright spot, with 55.0% ELA proficiency (above the district average of 50.9%) and 33.3% math proficiency, dramatically outperforming other grades. The school also serves a high-poverty population (64.7% free/reduced lunch) but has cut chronic absenteeism from 30.3% to 23.3%, now below both district (25.3%) and state (28.4%) averages. A favorable 13.3:1 student-teacher ratio provides another structural advantage.

Comparisons with nearby schools highlight both challenges and strengths. While Indian Ridge and Trails West have just 21–32% poverty and rank in the 81st–82nd percentiles, higher-poverty peers like Meadow Point, Mission Viejo, and Cimarron cluster in lower ranks. Independence actually outperforms Dalton and Dartmouth Elementary in ELA (39.2% vs. 34.7% and 35.1%), though Dartmouth exceeds it in math (36.3% vs. 23.0%), showing the math challenge isn't simply about poverty. The school's economically disadvantaged students rank in the 53rd percentile statewide (up from 22nd in 2023–2024), suggesting effective support for low-income students. With an upward trajectory in literacy and attendance, the pressing issue remains math—particularly for boys and grades 3 and 5—but Independence has clear strengths to build on.

439

Students ?

13.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,124

Per pupil spending ?

64.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4700 South Memphis Street
Aurora, CO 80015-1614

(720) 886-8200

District: Cherry Creek School District No. 5

Students who attend Independence Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Laredo Middle School
High:	Smoky Hill High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

35.8%

Hispanic:

33.0%

African American:

16.4%

See top rated Colorado elementary schools

Compare Independence Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 17th percentile in 2019 → 34th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 34th (2026) from a 17th-percentile low (2019)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Colorado average (31% vs 41% meeting standards)

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

!Math scores 14 pts below the Colorado average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school31%

District avg46%

Colorado avg41%

618^th of 943

Colorado public elementary schools ?

Bottom 34%▼ down 11 pts since 2016

From bottom 46% (2016) to bottom 34% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Colorado Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

36^th of 46Elementary Schools in the Cherry Creek School District No. 5

26^th of 115Cherry Creek School District No. 5 among Colorado districts

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

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	30.2	618 of 943	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	24.8	668 of 950	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.4	725 of 943	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.7	700 of 933	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.9	656 of 921	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.5	799 of 965	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.5	710 of 917	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	26.0	668 of 929	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	41.1	497 of 914	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	37.7	546 of 938	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2014	39.1	617 of 962	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2013	34.4	666 of 954	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	31.2	679 of 935	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	41.4	593 of 935	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2010	30.1	684 of 925	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	28.4	678 of 872	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	30.0	631 of 849	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	41.3	549 of 852	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2006	36.9	559 of 829	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2005	45.3	497 of 823	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2004	34.3	565 of 808	30.1%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	29.4	476 of 692	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	22.3	526 of 694	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	18.3	565 of 684	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.2	490 of 642	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	17.6	496 of 595	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	10.4	720 of 758	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	11.1	647 of 690	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2025	35.8	150 of 247	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.8	161 of 242	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	43.8	110 of 197	44.2%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	48.3	149 of 319	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	32.9	239 of 337	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	26.4	286 of 365	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.4	232 of 265	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.1	118 of 203	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	18.6	304 of 332	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	25.7	256 of 308	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	18.9	568 of 694	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	16.3	583 of 700	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	10.0	647 of 683	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	13.2	578 of 649	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.2	448 of 594	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	19.8	610 of 764	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.3	564 of 693	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	32.2	394 of 546	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	13.5	502 of 551	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	5.2	521 of 525	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	28.3	362 of 454	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	12.1	562 of 596	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	14.1	312 of 337	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)53rd percentile+19 vs school

Hispanic (2025)39th percentile+10 vs school

Female (2026)31st percentile-3 vs school

White (2026)28th percentile-7 vs school

Male (2026)18th percentile-16 vs school

By subject vs Colorado (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts39%-6 vs state

Science29%-7 vs state

Math23%-14 vs state

★

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Schools Near Independence Elementary School

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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 (2026)				Ranking (2025)				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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CMAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	Total
Independence Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4700 South Memphis Street	Aurora	80015	Arapahoe County	Cherry Creek School District No. 5	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 886-8200	439	33	13.3	64.7%	157 (35.8%)	72 (16.4%)	145 (33.0%)	13 (3.0%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	49 (11.2%)	30.2	618^th of 943 public elementary schools	34.5%		24.8	668^th of 950 public elementary schools	29.7%	50	31.0	55.0	32.9	39.2	19.7	33.3	17.3	23.0	28.9	$22,124
Indian Ridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	16501 East Progress Drive	Aurora	80015	Arapahoe County	Cherry Creek School District No. 5	No	No	No	No	(720) 886-8400	410	27	15.1	20.7%	254 (62.0%)	37 (9.0%)	51 (12.4%)	29 (7.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (9.3%)	79.8	176^th of 943 public elementary schools	81.3%		81.2	163^rd of 950 public elementary schools	82.8%	13	55.0	66.7	62.1	61.4	57.4	66.7	53.0	58.9	53.0	$21,525
Meadow Point Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	17901 East Grand Avenue	Aurora	80015	Arapahoe County	Cherry Creek School District No. 5	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 886-8600	401	30	13.5	59.9%	136 (33.9%)	48 (12.0%)	154 (38.4%)	13 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	48 (12.0%)	19.2	748^th of 943 public elementary schools	20.7%		28.3	634^th of 950 public elementary schools	33.3%	114	25.5	27.3	27.0	26.6	28.6	21.8	23.8	24.7	18.0	$21,672
Sagebrush Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	14700 East Temple Place	Aurora	80015	Arapahoe County	Cherry Creek School District No. 5	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 886-8300	354	34	10.5	52.0%	146 (41.2%)	44 (12.4%)	113 (31.9%)	13 (3.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (10.5%)	33.7	583^rd of 943 public elementary schools	38.2%		24.5	672^nd of 950 public elementary schools	29.3%	89	45.7	22.2	38.2	35.6	34.8	40.0	29.6	34.5	20.4	$23,467
Mission Viejo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3855 South Alicia Parkway	Aurora	80013	Arapahoe County	Cherry Creek School District No. 5	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 886-8000	552	35	15.6	53.8%	189 (34.2%)	83 (15.0%)	193 (35.0%)	17 (3.1%)	7 (1.3%)	4 (0.7%)	59 (10.7%)	18.9	757^th of 943 public elementary schools	19.7%		19.5	746^th of 950 public elementary schools	21.5%	11	17.9	21.7	38.9	26.0	15.2	25.7	19.4	19.9	26.8	$19,556
Summit Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	18201 East Quincy Ave	Aurora	80015	Arapahoe County	Cherry Creek School District No. 5	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 886-6400	337	25	13.4	49.6%	112 (33.2%)	54 (16.0%)	117 (34.7%)	19 (5.6%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.3%)	38	540^th of 943 public elementary schools	42.7%		24.1	678^th of 950 public elementary schools	28.6%	138	48.5	33.3	39.0	39.3	43.8	38.8	23.8	35.0	26.2	$23,211
Trails West Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5400 South Waco Street	Centennial	80015	Arapahoe County	Cherry Creek School District No. 5	No	No	No	No	(720) 886-8500	425	29	14.7	31.5%	246 (57.9%)	18 (4.2%)	91 (21.4%)	14 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (13.2%)	81.1	167^th of 943 public elementary schools	82.3%		74.9	227^th of 950 public elementary schools	76.1%	60	49.2	66.1	81.7	65.7	51.7	52.5	68.3	57.7	59.0	$20,693
Cimarron Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	17373 East Lehigh Pl	Aurora	80013	Arapahoe County	Cherry Creek School District No. 5	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 886-8100	393	33	11.9	65.4%	105 (26.7%)	70 (17.8%)	163 (41.5%)	6 (1.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (12.0%)	14.5	816^th of 943 public elementary schools	13.5%		19.7	744^th of 950 public elementary schools	21.7%	72	13.2	16.0	34.0	21.2	15.1	16.0	25.5	18.8	19.6	$21,101
Peakview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	19451 East Progress Circle	Centennial	80015	Arapahoe County	Cherry Creek School District No. 5	No	No	No	No	(720) 886-3100	447	31	14.4	36.2%	240 (53.7%)	33 (7.4%)	98 (21.9%)	20 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.3%)	50 (11.2%)	36.9	555^th of 943 public elementary schools	41.1%		53.9	415^th of 950 public elementary schools	56.3%	140	33.3	38.7	41.9	38.2	43.8	37.1	33.3	37.8	19.2	$19,074
Dalton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	17401 East Dartmouth Ave	Aurora	80013	Arapahoe County	Aurora Joint District No. 28	No	No	No	No	(303) 693-7561	430	27	15.9	75.6%	98 (22.8%)	77 (17.9%)	180 (41.9%)	20 (4.7%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.7%)	50 (11.6%)	26.9	657^th of 943 public elementary schools	30.3%		28.7	627^th of 950 public elementary schools	34.0%	30	29.4	32.3	43.3	34.7	18.8	31.8	27.9	26.0	23.3	$19,562

Frequently Asked Questions about Independence Elementary School

How many students attend Independence Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 439 students attended Independence Elementary School.

What district is Independence Elementary School in?

Cherry Creek School District No. 5

What schools do graduates of Independence Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Independence Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Laredo Middle School
High : Smoky Hill High School

Is Independence Elementary School a good school?

Independence Elementary School ranks 618^th of 943 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Independence Elementary School?

Students at Independence Elementary School are 36% White, 33% Hispanic, 16% African American, 11% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

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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.