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Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School

Q: Is Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School a good school?

Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School ranks 567 th of 946 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades PK, KG-6

567^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 946 Colorado Elementary Schools

Better than 40% of Colorado elementary schools

Summary

Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School is a PK-6 public charter school in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, serving 288 students as part of Jefferson County School District R-1. On the latest state tests, it posted proficiency rates of 36.3% in English language arts and 24.3% in math — well below district (53.7% and 44.6%) and state (44.7% and 37.3%) averages. Science is the bright spot: 5th graders reached 44.0%, above the state average (36.1%) and nearly matching the district (46.2%). Overall, the school sits at the 40th percentile statewide (2 stars), in the lower tier of nearby elementaries. Maple Grove Elementary School, Stober Elementary School, and Prospect Valley Elementary School all post much stronger results, and Peak Expeditionary - Pennington beats Compass by wide margins in ELA (54.5%) and math (47.7%).

The biggest asset is attendance. Chronic absenteeism is just 13.5%, compared with 26.6% for the district and 28.4% statewide. Only Maple Grove (8.2%) does better among nearby schools, while Lawrence Elementary School (47.9%), Slater Elementary School (45.3%), and Stevens Elementary School (44.0%) struggle with far higher rates. Strong attendance hasn't translated into test scores, however, suggesting the Montessori model may emphasize goals CMAS doesn't measure. Also notable is a steady ranking decline — from 253rd in 2021-2022 (4 stars) to 567th today — even as several nearby schools have held steady or improved.

The student-teacher ratio of 17.3 is on the high end locally, where neighbors range from 12.5 (Mountain Phoenix Community School) to 17.8 (Prospect Valley). Grade-level results are uneven: 5th-grade ELA hit 52.0%, but 6th-grade ELA fell to 27.8% — a possible cohort difference or transition challenge. One equity flag: among reported subgroups, the school's White students rank at the 4th percentile statewide, far below the school's overall 40th-percentile standing, raising questions about whether all students are served equally well. For families drawn to Montessori, this is a distinctive, well-attended program in a convenient Wheat Ridge location — but on traditional academic measures, most nearby district and charter options are producing stronger outcomes.

288

Students ?

17.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,719

Per pupil spending ?

3.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

10399 West 44th Avenue
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033-2701

(303) 420-8288

District: Jefferson County School District No. R-1

Racial breakdown:

White:

81.3%

Two or more races:

9.7%

Hispanic:

8.0%

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Compare Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 53rd percentile in 2014 → 40th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Colorado average (32% vs 41% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 13 percentile points since 2014

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school32%

District avg49%

Colorado avg41%

567^th of 946

Colorado public elementary schools ?

Bottom 40%▲ up 5 pts since 2016

From bottom 35% (2016) to bottom 40% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Colorado Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

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

24^th of 114Jefferson 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	35.7	567 of 946	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	39.0	538 of 950	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.2	511 of 943	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	51.8	413 of 933	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	70.5	253 of 921	72.5%	★★★★☆
2019	30.2	648 of 965	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.6	527 of 917	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	28.2	648 of 929	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2016	31.9	591 of 914	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2014	54.5	456 of 962	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2013	39.2	618 of 954	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	59.2	393 of 935	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2011	59.8	407 of 935	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2010	42.9	570 of 925	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2009	36.3	613 of 872	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	52.5	450 of 849	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2007	44.0	527 of 852	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2006	40.1	527 of 829	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2005	54.1	428 of 823	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2004	65.9	296 of 808	63.4%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	8.8	526 of 547	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

White (2026)4th percentile-36 vs school

By subject vs Colorado (2025-2026) ?

Science44%+8 vs state

English Language Arts36%-8 vs state

Math24%-13 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Saturday, November 24, 2018

Our daughter experienced very early success in her career. We feel this was in part due to Montessori's ability to work with children in different developmental stages and with different learning styles. They also cultivate curiosity and love of learning, and place strong emphasis on independent thinking and developing research skills. Her teachers were very skilled in this regard and we give it our highest recommendation. Suzanne Joanou-Schultz Close Quote

Schools Near Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter 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 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
Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	10399 West 44th Avenue	Wheat Ridge	80033	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	Yes	No	No	No	(303) 420-8288	288	17	17.3		234 (81.3%)	3 (1.0%)	23 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (9.7%)	35.7	567^th of 946 public elementary schools	40.1%		39	538^th of 950 public elementary schools	43.4%	29	29.0	35.7	52.0	27.8			36.3	22.6	32.1	734.0	725.0			24.3	44.0		$12,719
Mountain Phoenix Community School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	4725 Miller Street	Wheat Ridge	80033	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	Yes	No	No	No	(303) 728-9100	533	43	12.5	27.8%	407 (76.4%)	1 (0.2%)	85 (15.9%)	4 (0.8%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.2%)	32.1	597^th of 946 public elementary schools	36.9%		45.5	484^th of 950 public elementary schools	49.1%	113	19.3	44.9	45.8	40.4	59.5	60.0	42.9	7.1	14.3	35.4	25.5	33.3	56.7	26.1	39.6	40.0	$11,719
Peak Expeditionary - Pennington	Public	PK, KG-5	4645 Independence Street	Wheat Ridge	80033	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	Yes	(303) 982-2083	316	18	17.6	40.5%	184 (58.2%)	4 (1.3%)	106 (33.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.6%)	62.4	332^nd of 946 public elementary schools	64.9%		60.1	358^th of 950 public elementary schools	62.3%	26	61.2	44.4	58.8				54.5	61.2	45.3	37.3				47.7	36.0		$17,192
Prospect Valley Elementary School	Public	K-5	3400 Pierson Street	Wheat Ridge	80033	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	No	(303) 982-7535	583	33	17.8	29.3%	425 (72.9%)	4 (0.7%)	113 (19.4%)	8 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	30 (5.1%)	75.2	216^th of 946 public elementary schools	77.2%		72.3	254^th of 950 public elementary schools	73.3%	38	57.7	64.2	63.5				61.7	58.7	55.9	40.4				51.5	52.0		$17,919
Vanderhoof Elementary School	Public	K-5	5875 Routt Court	Arvada	80004	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	No	(303) 982-2744	403	29	14.0	36.7%	258 (64.0%)	6 (1.5%)	89 (22.1%)	21 (5.2%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.2%)	71.7	248^th of 946 public elementary schools	73.8%		58.6	375^th of 950 public elementary schools	60.5%	127	54.7	62.0	57.1				57.9	47.2	54.9	52.6				51.6	47.3		$18,147
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	608^th of 946 public elementary schools	35.7%		35	572^nd of 950 public elementary schools	39.8%	36	28.8	40.3	45.6				37.2	28.8	33.9	29.8				30.7	19.3		$18,075
Stevens Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4001 Reed Street	Wheat Ridge	80033	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	Yes	(303) 982-2198	469	36	13.0	65.9%	216 (46.1%)	10 (2.1%)	223 (47.5%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	15 (3.2%)	24.5	685^th of 946 public elementary schools	27.6%		16.7	784^th of 950 public elementary schools	17.5%	99	22.5	34.3	45.3				33.7	16.9	19.7	20.3				18.9	33.3		$18,474
Stober Elementary School	Public	K-5	2300 Urban Street	Lakewood	80215	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	No	(303) 982-7610	348	22	15.8	27.6%	242 (69.5%)	2 (0.6%)	79 (22.7%)	7 (2.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.6%)	73	229^th of 946 public elementary schools	75.8%		68.4	283^rd of 950 public elementary schools	70.2%	54	51.2	65.6	63.8				61.3	53.7	48.3	45.8				48.8	52.5		$18,053
Slater Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	8605 West 23rd Avenue	Lakewood	80215	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	Yes	(303) 982-7575	280	22	12.8	72.5%	79 (28.2%)	10 (3.6%)	172 (61.4%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.1%)	27.9	646^th of 946 public elementary schools	31.7%		14.2	817^th of 950 public elementary schools	14.0%	171	33.3	33.3	37.5				34.6	33.3	36.7	12.5				28.4	16.7		$19,983
Foster Dual Language Pk-8	Public	PK, KG-8	5300 Saulsbury Court	Arvada	80002	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	Yes	(303) 982-1680	454	28	15.9	50.2%	86 (18.9%)	0 (0.0%)	345 (76.0%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.7%)	30.5	616^th of 946 public elementary schools	34.9%		32.7	590^th of 950 public elementary schools	37.9%	26	43.6	57.1	29.8	28.9	31.3	30.4	35.8	23.1	34.0	27.7	15.2	20.8	17.8	23.3	19.1	26.1	$18,040

Frequently Asked Questions about Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School

Is Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School a good school?

Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School ranks 567^th of 946 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School?

Students at Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School are 81% White, 10% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 1% African American.

What district is Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School in?

Jefferson County School District No. R-1

How many students attend Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 288 students attended Compass Montessori - Wheat Ridge Charter School.

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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.