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Bear Canyon Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-6

44^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 946 Colorado Elementary Schools

Better than 95% of Colorado elementary schools

Summary

Bear Canyon Elementary School, serving 368 students in grades PK–6 in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, sits within the highly rated Douglas County School District No. Re 1 and earned a 5-star rating with a 95th-percentile statewide rank (44th of 943 Colorado elementary schools) in 2025–2026. The school has been remarkably stable at the top, ranking in the 91st–97th percentile statewide over the past five years and outperforming district and state averages by wide margins: 77.8% proficient in English Language Arts vs. 63.8% district and 44.7% state, and 69.5% in math vs. 57.2% district and 37.3% state. Chronic absenteeism is extremely low at 6.5%—less than half the district rate of 16.6% and far below the state's 28.4%—and only 12.8% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch. The student-teacher ratio is 16:1.

Academically, Bear Canyon is among the most reliable top-tier elementary schools in the area. Its ELA scores climb from 64.4% proficiency in 3rd grade to 89.7% in 5th grade—nearly 40 points above the state—before settling at 82.9% in 6th grade. Math is more uneven: 3rd-grade math is exceptional at 84.4%, but 4th-grade math drops to 60.9%, essentially tying the district average, and 6th-grade math lands at 58.5%. Science proficiency in 5th grade fell sharply from 82.2% to 61.5%, a swing worth monitoring. The school is especially effective for male students, ranking 40th of 694 schools statewide for boys (94th percentile) while still ranking 90th percentile for girls.

Compared with nearby schools, Bear Canyon Elementary School is not the very top—Eldorado Elementary School (#9), Stone Mountain Elementary (#12), and Heritage Elementary School (#28) rank higher statewide—but it outranks Trailblazer Elementary School (#51), Northridge Elementary School (#65), and Cougar Run Elementary School (#89). What truly differentiates Bear Canyon is consistency: very low chronic absenteeism, sustained top-5% performance year after year, and strong literacy development in the upper grades. Families should feel confident in its high overall achievement while keeping an eye on intermediate-grade math and the recent science score dip.

368

Students ?

16.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,076

Per pupil spending ?

12.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

9660 Salford Lane
Highlands Ranch, CO 80126-3517

(303) 387-6475

District: Douglas County School District No. Re 1

Students who attend Bear Canyon Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Mountain Ridge Middle School
High:	Mountain Vista High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

75.5%

Hispanic:

13.3%

Two or more races:

7.1%

See top rated Colorado elementary schools

Compare Bear Canyon Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 80th percentile in 2016 → 95th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Colorado average (72% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 5% of Colorado elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 15 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school72%

District avg60%

Colorado avg41%

44^th of 946

Colorado public elementary schools ?

Top 5%▲ up 15 pts since 2016

From top 20% (2016) to top 5% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Colorado Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

12^th of 58Elementary Schools in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1

6^th of 114Douglas County School District No. Re 1 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	92.8	44 of 946	95.3%	★★★★★
2025	94.7	32 of 950	96.6%	★★★★★
2024	90.3	76 of 943	91.9%	★★★★★
2023	93.2	45 of 933	95.2%	★★★★★
2022	88.8	79 of 921	91.4%	★★★★★
2021	80.0	157 of 710	77.9%	★★★★☆
2019	86.6	106 of 965	89.0%	★★★★☆
2018	75.2	202 of 917	78.0%	★★★★☆
2017	75.3	207 of 929	77.7%	★★★★☆
2016	75.7	184 of 914	79.9%	★★★★☆
2015	76.8	187 of 938	80.1%	★★★★☆
2014	79.9	170 of 962	82.3%	★★★★☆
2013	82.2	139 of 954	85.4%	★★★★☆
2012	89.0	76 of 935	91.9%	★★★★★
2011	87.9	77 of 935	91.8%	★★★★★
2010	91.1	41 of 925	95.6%	★★★★★
2009	88.3	63 of 872	92.8%	★★★★★
2008	88.8	50 of 849	94.1%	★★★★★
2007	87.2	63 of 852	92.6%	★★★★★
2006	89.4	46 of 829	94.5%	★★★★★
2005	85.9	81 of 823	90.2%	★★★★★
2004	86.2	82 of 808	89.9%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	86.3	66 of 695	90.5%	★★★★★
2025	87.2	64 of 694	90.8%	★★★★★
2024	80.4	109 of 684	84.1%	★★★★☆
2023	84.5	77 of 642	88.0%	★★★★☆
2022	78.0	106 of 595	82.2%	★★★★☆
2021	59.3	171 of 351	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	78.7	135 of 758	82.2%	★★★★☆
2018	64.1	211 of 690	69.4%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	90.5	40 of 697	94.3%	★★★★★
2025	95.5	16 of 700	97.7%	★★★★★
2024	90.1	47 of 683	93.1%	★★★★★
2023	91.3	39 of 649	94.0%	★★★★★
2022	89.8	41 of 594	93.1%	★★★★★
2021	82.3	64 of 352	81.8%	★★★★☆
2019	85.4	76 of 764	90.1%	★★★★★
2018	71.6	170 of 693	75.5%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	82.6	55 of 547	89.9%	★★★★★
2025	85.0	47 of 551	91.5%	★★★★★
2024	79.8	74 of 539	86.3%	★★★★☆
2023	84.7	47 of 525	91.0%	★★★★★
2022	76.2	91 of 454	80.0%	★★★★☆
2021	66.2	108 of 288	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	68.3	157 of 596	73.7%	★★★★☆
2018	42.5	188 of 337	44.2%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Male (2026)94th percentile~ school

Female (2026)91st percentile-5 vs school

White (2026)90th percentile-5 vs school

By subject vs Colorado (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts78%+33 vs state

Math70%+32 vs state

Science62%+25 vs state

3.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, November 7, 2012

A wonderful school thanks in part to very dedicated parents, teachers and leaders. School and surrounding homes are located in established, two decade-young neighborhoods.

While many school parents work, the school community is blessed with a higher than average number of stay-at-home parents, which account for the high number of parent volunteer hours. Bear Canyon feeds into the highly-regarded Mountain Vista High School system. Students also benefit from exceptional music, art and physical education programs; adding to a well-rounded educational experience. Close Quote

Schools Near Bear Canyon 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 (2025)	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 6th 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 All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	Total
Bear Canyon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	9660 Salford Lane	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6475	368	23	16.0	12.8%	278 (75.5%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (13.3%)	15 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.1%)	92.8	44^th of 946 public elementary schools	95.3%		94.7	32^nd of 950 public elementary schools	96.6%	12	64.4	76.1	89.7	82.9	77.8	84.4	60.9	73.8	58.5	69.5	61.5	$17,076
Northridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	555 South Park Road	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6525	560	37	15.3	15.4%	353 (63.0%)	8 (1.4%)	74 (13.2%)	78 (13.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	46 (8.2%)	90.5	65^th of 946 public elementary schools	93.1%		92.9	46^th of 950 public elementary schools	95.2%	19	56.5	82.4	86.4	72.6	75.3	67.2	62.4	69.8	50.0	62.4	76.6	$17,633
Saddle Ranch Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	805 West English Sparrow Trail	Highlands Ranch	80129	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6400	355	23	15.1	10.1%	275 (77.5%)	3 (0.8%)	49 (13.8%)	15 (4.2%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.8%)	79.5	178^th of 946 public elementary schools	81.2%		78.9	190^th of 950 public elementary schools	80.0%	12	78.9	65.2	68.2	78.6	71.9	75.0	47.8	52.3	60.7	57.4	38.6	$18,991
Eldorado Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1305 Timbervale Trail	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6325	377	28	13.4	17.8%	250 (66.3%)	4 (1.1%)	73 (19.4%)	16 (4.2%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (8.5%)	98.1	9^th of 946 public elementary schools	99.0%		93.4	40^th of 950 public elementary schools	95.8%	31	75.5	94.9	93.1	84.4	85.8	78.0	92.3	93.1	71.7	82.3	85.2	$20,762
Summit View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	10200 South Piedmont Drive	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6800	350	24	14.6	10.0%	239 (68.3%)	5 (1.4%)	55 (15.7%)	20 (5.7%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (8.3%)	81.9	161^st of 946 public elementary schools	83.0%		91.3	60^th of 950 public elementary schools	93.7%	101	53.5	73.5	66.7	73.6	66.9	53.5	67.6	45.7	54.5	55.1	54.3	$19,867
Sand Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	8898 South Maplewood Drive	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6600	322	24	13.5	27.3%	203 (63.0%)	6 (1.9%)	58 (18.0%)	24 (7.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (9.0%)	68.4	279^th of 946 public elementary schools	70.5%		77	211^th of 950 public elementary schools	77.8%	68	48.5	70.4	50.0	59.4	56.2	54.3	70.4	42.1	65.6	56.8	28.6	$21,285
Stone Mountain Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	10625 Weathersfield Way	Highlands Ranch	80129	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-7525	452	28	16.4	3.5%	381 (84.3%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (5.3%)	19 (4.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.8%)	97.5	12^th of 946 public elementary schools	98.7%		96.2	16^th of 950 public elementary schools	98.3%	4	76.6	81.3	85.5	82.5	81.6	93.8	75.0	83.6	72.2	80.7	81.5	$16,599
Heritage Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3350 Summit View Parkway	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6725	377	26	14.4	10.1%	253 (67.1%)	3 (0.8%)	63 (16.7%)	28 (7.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.7%)	95	28^th of 946 public elementary schools	97.0%		95.9	19^th of 950 public elementary schools	98.0%	9	68.3	75.0	79.4	86.8	77.1	70.7	75.0	72.7	76.3	73.7	72.7	$19,000
Cougar Run Elementary School	Public	K-6	8780 Venneford Ranch Road	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6675	392	25	15.6	20.7%	269 (68.6%)	6 (1.5%)	71 (18.1%)	15 (3.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.7%)	88.4	89^th of 946 public elementary schools	90.6%		87.3	108^th of 950 public elementary schools	88.6%	19	66.7	68.6	88.1	75.6	74.1	64.7	68.6	50.0	56.1	60.5	59.5	$22,412
Trailblazer Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	9760 South Hackberry	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6250	330	23	14.6	17.3%	224 (67.9%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (18.2%)	11 (3.3%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (9.4%)	92.4	51^st of 946 public elementary schools	94.6%		88	99^th of 950 public elementary schools	89.6%	48	71.1	81.3	75.5	64.5	73.3	71.1	70.6	66.7	64.5	68.3	64.7	$19,866

Frequently Asked Questions about Bear Canyon Elementary School

How many students attend Bear Canyon Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 368 students attended Bear Canyon Elementary School.

Is Bear Canyon Elementary School a good school?

Yes! Bear Canyon Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 44^th of 946 Colorado elementary schools.

What district is Bear Canyon Elementary School in?

Douglas County School District No. Re 1

What schools do graduates of Bear Canyon Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Bear Canyon Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Mountain Ridge Middle School
High : Mountain Vista High School

What is the racial makeup of Bear Canyon Elementary School?

Students at Bear Canyon Elementary School are 76% White, 13% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

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Latest Colorado data All new data »

2025–26 attendance dataNewOct 6, 2026

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

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

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.