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Swanson Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

934^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Better than 1% of Colorado elementary schools

Summary

Swanson Elementary School is a PK–5 school in Arvada, Colorado, serving 283 students within the Jefferson County School District No. R-1. Despite the district's strong 4-star rating and 79th-percentile statewide ranking, Swanson ranks 934 out of 943 Colorado elementary schools, placing it in the 1st percentile. Academic proficiency rates are strikingly low: only 12.2% of students are proficient in English Language Arts, 6.5% in Math, and 10% in Science, versus district rates of 53.7%, 44.6%, and 46.2%. About 72.4% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and chronic absenteeism is 45.4%.

Nearby schools with similar challenges achieve much better results. Secrest Elementary School, less than a mile away, has nearly identical poverty (66.5% FRL) and absenteeism (46.0%), yet more than doubles Swanson's ELA proficiency (27.6%) and triples its math proficiency (19.8%). Lawrence Elementary School, with slightly higher poverty (73.8% FRL) and similar absenteeism (47.9%), reaches 37.2% ELA and 30.7% Math. Even very high-poverty schools in the neighboring Westminster Public Schools district — like Harris Park Elementary School (20.2% ELA, 8.1% Math) and Tennyson Knolls Preparatory School (25.1% ELA, 10.2% Math) — outperform Swanson in both subjects.

Schools just a mile or two away — Hackberry Hill Elementary School (63.6% ELA, 56.8% Math), Warder Elementary School (59.1% ELA, 48.6% Math), Cotton Creek Elementary School (57.8% ELA, 51.3% Math), and Colorado STEM Academy (61.1% ELA, 59.2% Math) — show that strong outcomes are achievable in the same area. Swanson's student-teacher ratio of 14.2:1 suggests smaller class sizes are not translating into academic gains. Chronic absenteeism, up from 39.5% two years ago, is likely a key driver. The bottom line: Swanson is a severe academic outlier within an otherwise strong district, and reversing its trajectory will require focused, sustained effort.

283

Students ?

14.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,459

Per pupil spending ?

72.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

6055 West 68th Avenue
Arvada, CO 80003-4117

(303) 982-0891

District: Jefferson County School District No. R-1

Students who attend Swanson Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	North Arvada Middle School
High:	Arvada High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

52.7%

White:

36.7%

African American:

3.9%

See top rated Colorado elementary schools

Compare Swanson Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 17th percentile in 2015 → 1st in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Colorado average (9% vs 41% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (1st percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (45% vs 28% Colorado)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school9%

District avg49%

Colorado avg41%

934^th of 943

Colorado public elementary schools ?

Bottom 1%▼ down 13 pts since 2016

From bottom 13% (2016) to bottom 1% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Colorado Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

83^rd of 84Elementary Schools in the Jefferson County School District No. R-1

24^th of 115Jefferson County School District No. R-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	5.9	934 of 943	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	7.8	924 of 950	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	18.8	752 of 943	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	15.8	797 of 933	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.1	719 of 921	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	9.5	922 of 965	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	19.8	727 of 917	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	15.8	790 of 929	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	15.5	791 of 914	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	18.5	774 of 938	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	16.4	819 of 962	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	9.1	882 of 954	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	13.5	819 of 935	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	18.2	783 of 935	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	22.0	750 of 925	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	18.0	732 of 872	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	17.4	721 of 849	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	11.0	769 of 852	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	16.2	706 of 829	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	21.2	675 of 823	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	20.7	666 of 808	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2024	17.3	572 of 684	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	13.3	690 of 758	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	20.2	565 of 690	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2018	28.6	126 of 172	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2018	39.1	200 of 308	35.1%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2024	14.9	590 of 683	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	6.0	757 of 764	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	13.3	625 of 693	9.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2018)35th percentile+14 vs school

Hispanic (2018)27th percentile+6 vs school

Female (2024)16th percentile-4 vs school

Male (2024)14th percentile-7 vs school

By subject vs Colorado (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts12%-33 vs state

Science10%-26 vs state

Math6%-31 vs state

5.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, October 11, 2018

Swanson is full of dedicated, skilled and caring teachers. My son is doing amazing here due to the support he receives from everyone at Swanson. There is a community within this school that is hard to find. An absolute gem dropped in the public school system. Close Quote

by a citizen
Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Talented teachers that give without reserve to their students! Excellent learning experience for students, as evidence by generations of siblings that choose to return to Swanson. Close Quote

Schools Near Swanson 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 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	Total
Swanson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6055 West 68th Avenue	Arvada	80003	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	Yes	(303) 982-0891	283	20	14.2	72.4%	104 (36.7%)	11 (3.9%)	149 (52.7%)	9 (3.2%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.8%)	5.9	934^th of 943 public elementary schools	1.0%		7.8	924^th of 950 public elementary schools	2.7%	10	12.2	10.0	14.3				12.2							6.5	10.0		$19,459
Secrest Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6875 West 64th Avenue	Arvada	80003	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	Yes	(303) 982-0760	334	23	14.6	66.5%	148 (44.3%)	6 (1.8%)	141 (42.2%)	10 (3.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.4%)	17.7	775^th of 943 public elementary schools	17.8%		22.7	699^th of 950 public elementary schools	26.4%	76	28.2	23.7	30.8				27.6	23.1	18.4	17.9				19.8	20.5		$17,996
Cotton Creek Elementary School	Public	K-5	11100 Vrain Street	Westminster	80030	Adams County	Adams 12 Five Star Schools	No	No	No	No	(720) 972-5340	455	30	15.1	43.5%	248 (54.5%)	11 (2.4%)	143 (31.4%)	17 (3.7%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (7.0%)	71.8	244^th of 943 public elementary schools	74.1%		67	302^nd of 950 public elementary schools	68.2%	58	58.5	45.9	65.9				57.8	56.6	42.6	54.1				51.3	51.8		$20,266
Hackberry Hill Elementary School	Public	K-5	7300 West 76th Avenue	Arvada	80003	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	No	(303) 982-0260	430	24	17.8	34.7%	274 (63.7%)	4 (0.9%)	122 (28.4%)	6 (1.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.1%)	78.5	187^th of 943 public elementary schools	80.2%		77.7	201^st of 950 public elementary schools	78.8%	14	52.1	69.4	66.7				63.6	43.7	67.3	55.6				56.8	51.9		$16,958
Harris Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4300 West 75th Avenue	Westminster	80030	Adams County	Westminster Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(303) 428-1721	234	15	16.0	79.1%	57 (24.4%)	4 (1.7%)	154 (65.8%)	6 (2.6%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.7%)	12.4	849^th of 943 public elementary schools	10.0%		9.1	905^th of 950 public elementary schools	4.7%	56	15.2	21.4	23.7				20.2							8.1	18.4		$18,170
Tennyson Knolls Preparatory School	Public	PK, KG-8	6330 Tennyson Street	Arvada	80003	Jefferson County	Westminster Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(303) 429-4090	364	21	17.1	88.5%	55 (15.1%)	8 (2.2%)	276 (75.8%)	15 (4.1%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (1.6%)	10.4	879^th of 943 public elementary schools	6.8%		10.7	873^rd of 950 public elementary schools	8.1%	6	15.6	17.9	16.3	33.3	30.6	38.9	25.1	9.4			12.5	11.4	16.7	10.2	7.0	22.9	$19,549
Josephine Hodgkins Leadership Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	3475 West 67th Avenue	Denver	80221	Adams County	Westminster Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(303) 428-1121	597	32	18.6	87.6%	43 (7.2%)	14 (2.3%)	511 (85.6%)	12 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (2.5%)	14.5	814^th of 943 public elementary schools	13.7%		9.3	900^th of 950 public elementary schools	5.3%	86	14.3	22.4	15.7	15.1	9.1	30.0	17.7	30.6	27.6	18.0			26.0	18.8	12.0	26.0	$18,709
Colorado STEM Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	7281 Irving Street	Westminster	80030	Adams County	Westminster Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(303) 429-7836	415	22	19.2	51.8%	154 (37.1%)	2 (0.5%)	205 (49.4%)	27 (6.5%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (5.3%)	80.9	168^th of 943 public elementary schools	82.2%		58.8	373^rd of 950 public elementary schools	60.7%	205	45.1	63.9	69.0	67.9	60.0	64.0	61.1	52.9	63.9	59.5	66.0	54.5	60.0	59.2	52.4	64.0	$15,747
Warder Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7840 Carr Drive	Arvada	80005	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	No	(303) 982-0950	432	26	16.6	22.5%	310 (71.8%)	1 (0.2%)	95 (22.0%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.3%)	70.5	262^nd of 943 public elementary schools	72.2%		67	301^st of 950 public elementary schools	68.3%	39	53.4	58.2	66.7				59.1	38.3	53.7	53.8				48.6	50.0		$16,529
Lawrence Elementary School	Public	K-5	5611 Zephyr Street	Arvada	80002	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	Yes	(303) 982-1825	412	26	15.7	73.8%	156 (37.9%)	9 (2.2%)	214 (51.9%)	2 (0.5%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.6%)	31.2	607^th of 943 public elementary schools	35.6%		35	572^nd of 950 public elementary schools	39.8%	35	28.8	40.3	45.6				37.2	28.8	33.9	29.8				30.7	19.3		$18,075

Frequently Asked Questions about Swanson Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Swanson Elementary School?

Students at Swanson Elementary School are 53% Hispanic, 37% White, 4% African American, 3% Asian, 3% Two or more races.

Is Swanson Elementary School a good school?

Swanson Elementary School ranks in the bottom 1.0% of Colorado elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Swanson Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : North Arvada Middle School
High : Arvada High School

How many students attend Swanson Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 283 students attended Swanson Elementary School.

What district is Swanson Elementary School in?

Jefferson County School District No. R-1

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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.