Hulstrom K-8

Hulstrom K-8 in Northglenn, CO, serves 663 students in grades K-8 within the Adams 12 Five Star Schools district, and it ranks among the very best public schools in Colorado. Hulstrom was ranked 4th of 943 Colorado elementary and middle schools for 2025–2026 and has earned a 5-star rating every year for the past decade, never finishing below 23rd in the state. The school posts remarkable CMAS proficiency rates of 92.5% in English Language Arts and 85.4% in math, compared with district averages of just 42.3% and 35.5%.

Hulstrom's academic performance towers over nearby schools. STEM Lab, located just 0.2 miles away and itself a solid school ranked 201st statewide, posts 64.2% ELA and 51.3% math proficiency, while Malley Drive Elementary School, just 0.36 miles away, posts only 18.2% ELA and 12.0% math proficiency. Hulstrom also stands out for attendance: its chronic absenteeism rate is just 5.9%, compared with the district's 32.2% and the state's 28.4%. Only 11.5% of Hulstrom students qualify for free/reduced-price lunch, far below the rates at every neighboring school, several of which exceed 75%.

Hulstrom is also a standout for specific student groups: its Hispanic students ranked #1 among 249 Colorado schools for both 2025–2026 and 2024–2025. Interestingly, the school's Gifted and Talented students rank only in the 41st percentile statewide, which may reflect a more inclusive identification process or a general-education program so strong that the gifted program adds less measurable value. With a 0% dropout rate and a student-teacher ratio of 17.9, Hulstrom's sustained excellence over a decade makes it a distinctly different educational environment from the schools around it — and one that any parent in the Northglenn area should consider seriously.