Secrest Elementary School

Secrest Elementary School is a PK–5 school in Arvada, CO, serving 334 students in the Jefferson County School District No. R-1. The school serves a high-poverty population, with about two-thirds of students (66.5%) eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and it maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 14.6. While its district ranks in the 79th percentile statewide, Secrest itself placed in the 18th percentile in 2025-2026 with a 1-star rating — its lowest point in over a decade of data showing the school has consistently ranked between the 18th and 36th percentiles.

Academically, Secrest trails both district and state averages by significant margins. In 2025-2026, only 27.6% of students were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 44.7% statewide; math proficiency was 19.8% versus 37.3% statewide; and 5th-grade science proficiency was 20.5% versus 36.1% statewide. Math performance also declines as students progress, falling from 23.1% proficiency in 3rd grade to 17.9% in 5th grade. ELA proficiency dropped notably this year from a stable range of 31.5–35.2% down to 27.6%, and the school's female student subgroup ranking fell dramatically from the 33rd percentile to the 6th percentile statewide.

The most pressing concern is attendance: 46.0% of Secrest students were chronically absent in 2024-2025, nearly double the state average and up sharply from 35.7% the prior year. This clearly separates Secrest from higher-performing nearby schools like Hackberry Hill Elementary (18.9% chronic absenteeism, 63.6% ELA proficiency), Warder Elementary (13.8%, 59.1%), and Cotton Creek Elementary (20.9%, 57.8%). Colorado STEM Academy, just 2.4 miles away, serves a majority free/reduced-lunch population yet achieves 61.1% ELA and 59.2% math proficiency with only 15.6% chronic absenteeism. Secrest's challenges are real, but the success of neighboring schools with similar demographics shows improvement is possible.