Summary:
Zip code 80015 in Aurora, Colorado, is served by three public middle schools — Thunder Ridge, Sky Vista, and Laredo — all part of the Cherry Creek School District No. 5, a district ranked 26th out of 115 in the state. The three schools serve grades 6–8, with enrollments ranging from 846 to 1,106 students, and they present a wide range of academic performance despite sharing the same district and ZIP code.
Sky Vista Middle School is the strongest overall performer, with a state rank of 147 out of 469 middle schools and the highest proficiency rates in ELA (54%), math (38.2%), and a 43.7% science rate — all above state averages except math, which slightly exceeds the state but trails the district. Sky Vista also has the lowest poverty rate (33.5% free/reduced lunch) and lowest chronic absenteeism (23.3%). Thunder Ridge Middle School, the largest of the three, ranks 185th and is a solid, improving choice: its science proficiency (44.7%) leads the ZIP code and is well above the district and state averages, while its state rank has climbed from 237th to 185th over three years. In contrast, Laredo Middle School ranks 297th and faces significant challenges, with the highest poverty rate (50.35%), the highest chronic absenteeism (31.6%), and the lowest test scores across all subjects.
Math is a consistent weakness across all three schools; every one falls below the district average of 44.2%, and even Sky Vista barely beats the state average. Meanwhile, science is a relative strength for Sky Vista and Thunder Ridge. Laredo is trending downward in state rank and test scores, while the other two are improving. The achievement gap is stark: Sky Vista's ELA proficiency is 21 points higher than Laredo's, and its math proficiency is 14 points higher. These differences closely track poverty and attendance patterns, making clear that while the district performs well overall, school-level support and demographics play a major role in outcomes for families in this area.
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