Summary:
This data set covers four public high schools serving grades 9–12 in the 80022 zip code of Commerce City, Colorado, with a combined enrollment of 2,223 students across Adams City High School, The STEAD School, Lester R Arnold High School, and Victory Preparatory Academy High State Charter School. The schools vary dramatically in size, from Adams City's 1,500 students to Victory Prep's 118, and serve distinctly different student populations, with poverty rates ranging from 23% at STEAD to 89% at Lester Arnold.
The STEAD School stands out as the strongest academic performer in the area, with the highest graduation rate (94%), lowest poverty rate (23%), and best state ranking (35th percentile). It was the only school in the zip code to exceed state averages in science and 10th-grade reading. Victory Preparatory Academy offers the smallest class sizes (13.1 student-teacher ratio) and best attendance (26.8% chronic absenteeism), but its test scores have been volatile — SAT reading proficiency dropped from 65% to 37% in one year. Adams City High School, the largest school, posts a graduation rate above the state average (87.9%) despite very low test proficiency (9% math). Lester R Arnold High School faces the most severe challenges, including a 12.4% dropout rate, 83% chronic absenteeism, and no reported test data.
Math proficiency is the area's most urgent weakness, with every tested school scoring well below state averages: Adams City at 9%, STEAD at 21%, and Victory Prep at 27%. All four schools rank in the bottom half of Colorado high schools, and School District N. 14, which serves both Adams City and Lester Arnold, ranks last among 115 districts. While School District 27J (STEAD) and State Charter School Institute (Victory Prep) rank higher, the overall picture is one of broad systemic challenges, with math achievement being the clearest area for improvement.
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