Prairie Hills Elementary School

Public K-5

 13801 Garfield Place
       Thornton, CO  80602-7236


(720) 972-8780

District: Adams 12 Five Star Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
240th of 935 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,489 Help


Students who attend Prairie Hills Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Rocky Top Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  18.7 Help
Number of students:  449

Racial breakdown:

White:
58.8%
Hispanic:
21.6%
Asian:
11.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  22.5% Help


 See top rated Colorado elementary schools

 Compare Prairie Hills Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Prairie Hills Elementary School ranks better than 74.3% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks 8th among 33 ranked elementary schools in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.66. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (58.8%), Hispanic (21.6%), Asian (11.8%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 22.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Prairie Hills Elementary School is 18.7. 30 elementary schools in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Prairie Hills Elementary School employs 24 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Prairie Hills Elementary School is $13,489. 27 elementary schools in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Prairie Hills Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Prairie Hills Elementary School 240th of 935 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Prairie Hills Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Adams 12 Five Star Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Adams 12 Five Star Schools 51st of 115 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Prairie Hills Elementary School?

Rank History for Prairie Hills Elementary School

Help
Compare

Rank History for all students at Prairie Hills Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 57.89 371st 808 54.1%
2005 56.32 400th 823 51.4%
2006 55.01 408th 829 50.8%
2007 52.46 457th 852 46.4%
2008 52.93 445th 849 47.6%
2009 57.00 408th 872 53.2%
2010 61.22 394th 925 57.4%
2011 67.78 315th 935 66.3%
2012 58.80 404th 935 56.8%
2013 56.96 436th 954 54.3%
2014 63.32 348th 962 63.8%
2015 67.28 269th 938 71.3%
2016 77.07 172nd 914 81.2%
2017 80.25 159th 929 82.9%
2018 76.25 193rd 917 79.0%
2019 74.83 208th 965 78.4%
2021 68.75 234th 710 67.0%
2022 67.94 270th 921 70.7%
2023 70.66 240th 933 74.3%
See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Prairie Hills Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.11 234th 690 66.1%
2019 66.47 222nd 758 70.7%
2021 71.05 115th 351 67.2%
2022 61.21 223rd 595 62.5%
2023 61.90 224th 642 65.1%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Prairie Hills Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.34 142nd 693 79.5%
2019 70.36 191st 764 75.0%
2021 48.11 224th 352 36.4%
2022 56.92 243rd 594 59.1%
2023 61.50 227th 649 65.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Prairie Hills Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.93 144th 337 57.3%
2019 54.44 256th 596 57.0%
2021 51.17 165th 288 42.7%
2022 40.83 294th 454 35.2%
2023 53.23 241st 525 54.1%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Colorado Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Prairie Hills Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.6)
60%

0%

0%

20%

20%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, August 18, 2016

Open Quote My daughter currently attends Prairie Hills Elementary in Thornton. I am not very happy with her progress to date. She is behind in Math and I have approached her past and current teachers for extra help.

In addition, the front office staff are unprofessional and rude. Close Quote


by a parent
Friday, August 2, 2013

Open Quote My children have been going to the school for a few years now, and I love the Principle and all she does to help make the school run. She listens as things arises, which have and she has handled them with patience, kindness and understanding. I have 7 children, most have grown up and I have been to many different schools and this one is very well put together. They care and really try to meet the needs of everyone. Every school has their strong and week points. Prairie Hills really tries to improve in things they are aware of and make them right. The teachers care and work hard to help each student become successful. I am proud to say my children go to Prairie Hill Elementary School in Thornton, Co. Close Quote


by a citizen
Saturday, May 12, 2012

Open Quote I just had to point out that the parent who posted the only other review of this school about their child being assaulted also posted the same review over at greatschools.org, except that they reviewed the Prairie Hills Elementary School in Colorado Springs, not this school of the same name in Thornton. So that review is not applicable to one of the two Prairie View schools. Sounds like the reviewer is either confused or doesn't pay attention to details.

I'm giving this school five starts to counter act the one star review given by the other reviewer. I am a parent that is moving into the area. I don't have a child at this school yet, but I may in the future. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Open Quote DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO THIS SCHOOL. I am saddened that such a beautiful school is so poorly operated. The Principal acts disgruntled and is not approachable at all. She never even greets parents or students. The Admin team as a whole is non-responsive to issues that arise, regardless of whether the issues are academic or concerns regarding bullying. My child has had two teachers who were worse than incompetent (could not even spell simple words), and very uncaring. The worst is that my child was the victim of a 3rd degree assault (but the courts said it should have been 2nd degree due to the severity) in the classroom, and the school did their best to bury it. The child who harmed my son was only suspended for a few days, and only because we called the authorities. I regret not transferring my child when we first had problems in first grade. We did so in order to not disrupt our child socially, but in retrospect, it was not worth his academics suffering and being badly injured on top of that. I hope that this review reaches out to parents out there, so that they don't have to suffer as our family has at the hands of this terrible school. Additionally, most parents in the community are not at all engaged in their children's education. They complain to each other, but don't make the time to complain to the proper authorities to try to help their children. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Prairie Hills Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2004 340 10 52 74 7 n/a n/a 0 483
2005 443 8 61 98 5 n/a n/a 0 615
2006 505 7 72 106 9 n/a n/a 0 699
2007 307 2 48 63 1 n/a n/a 0 421
2008 357 8 47 67 1 n/a n/a 0 480
2009 398 8 46 79 1 n/a n/a 0 532
2010 390 9 49 93 1 n/a n/a 0 542
2011 431 5 13 79 2 0 5 0 535
2012 380 7 27 56 1 0 11 0 482
2013 364 9 25 68 2 1 14 0 483
2014 375 7 36 85 1 1 13 0 518
2015 393 6 37 75 4 0 19 0 534
2016 400 8 37 77 3 0 22 0 547
2017 392 8 34 77 0 2 22 0 535
2018 360 5 35 73 1 2 23 0 499
2019 361 5 30 77 2 2 23 0 500
2020 349 5 35 79 2 1 24 0 495
2021 299 3 29 89 2 1 27 0 450
2022 268 5 41 89 1 1 30 0 435
2023 264 5 53 97 0 1 29 0 449

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Prairie Hills Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 483 22.8 21.2 10.1
2005 615 28.9 21.3 6.7
2006 699 29.0 24.1 7.4
2007 421 22.3 18.9 12.6
2008 480 26.3 18.3 9.6
2009 532 28.3 18.8 9
2010 542 28.8 18.8 10
2011 535 27.5 19.4 8.4
2012 482 23.7 20.2 7.3
2013 483 23.0 21.0 12.4
2014 518 25.0 20.7 13.1
2015 534 25.0 21.3 13.3
2016 547 28.0 19.5 15.4
2017 535 25.5 20.9 16.1
2018 499 23.5 21.1 13.6
2019 500 22.5 22.2 9.8
2020 495 23.1 21.4 12.5
2021 450 26.0 17.3 13.6
2022 435 23.5 18.5 13.3
2023 449 24.0 18.7 22.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Prairie Hills Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 483 22.8 21.2 10.1
2005 615 28.9 21.3 6.7
2006 699 29.0 24.1 7.4
2007 421 22.3 18.9 12.6
2008 480 26.3 18.3 9.6
2009 532 28.3 18.8 9
2010 542 28.8 18.8 10
2011 535 27.5 19.4 8.4
2012 482 23.7 20.2 7.3
2013 483 23.0 21.0 12.4
2014 518 25.0 20.7 13.1
2015 534 25.0 21.3 13.3
2016 547 28.0 19.5 15.4
2017 535 25.5 20.9 16.1
2018 499 23.5 21.1 13.6
2019 500 22.5 22.2 9.8
2020 495 23.1 21.4 12.5
2021 450 26.0 17.3 13.6
2022 435 23.5 18.5 13.3
2023 449 24.0 18.7 22.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Prairie Hills Elementary School

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $10,274
2020 $11,482
2021 $12,766
2022 $13,489

Data source: Colorado Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Prairie Hills Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 208th of 965 Elementary schoolsRanks 240th of 933 Elementary schools
 4.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Prairie Hills Elementary School)47.853.1
 5.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)38.238.7
 0.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)41.339.9
 1.4%
3rd Grade Math (Prairie Hills Elementary School)48.442
 6.4%
   3rd Grade Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)35.335.8
 0.5%
   3rd Grade Math (Colorado)4140.4
 0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Prairie Hills Elementary School)7065.4
 4.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)46.543.5
 3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)4843.8
 4.2%
4th Grade Math (Prairie Hills Elementary School)46.352.6
 6.3%
   4th Grade Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)32.134.5
 2.4%
   4th Grade Math (Colorado)33.632.7
 0.9%
5th Grade Science (Prairie Hills Elementary School)5035.7
 14.3%
   5th Grade Science (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)39.832
 7.8%
   5th Grade Science (Colorado)35.933.9
 2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Prairie Hills Elementary School)60.757.1
 3.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)49.244.2
 5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)48.447.8
 0.6%
5th Grade Math (Prairie Hills Elementary School)54.851.4
 3.4%
   5th Grade Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)36.837.2
 0.4%
   5th Grade Math (Colorado)35.736.5
 0.8%
All Grades English Language Arts (Prairie Hills Elementary School)5958.5
 0.5%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)44.740.9
 3.8%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)45.843.7
 2.1%
All Grades Math (Prairie Hills Elementary School)49.848.5
 1.3%
   All Grades Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)3532
 3%
   All Grades Math (Colorado)34.732.9
 1.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students500449
 10.2%
African American55
American Indian20
 100%
Asian3053
 76.7%
Hispanic7797
 26%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White361264
 26.9%
Two or More Races2329
 26.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients9.8%22.5%
 12.7%


Schools Near Prairie Hills Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Prairie Hills Elementary School

Students at Prairie Hills Elementary School are 59% White, 22% Hispanic, 12% Asian, 6% Two or more races, 1% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 449 students attended Prairie Hills Elementary School.

Students who attend Prairie Hills Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Rocky Top Middle School

Prairie Hills Elementary School ranks 240th of 935 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


Rate Prairie Hills Elementary School!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Prairie Hills Elementary School!




SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Colorado Department of Education. School Attendance Areas provided by ATTOM.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that school and district boundary data 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.





Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 1026 milliseconds.