Summary:
Zip code 80220 is home to a single high school: Denver School of the Arts, an arts magnet school serving grades 6 through 12 with 1,044 students, and part of School District No. 1 in Denver. Although the district itself ranks in the 38th percentile statewide (71st of 115 districts) with a 2-star rating, this one school dramatically outperforms its surroundings.
Denver School of the Arts is a clear standout, ranking 11th out of 338 Colorado high schools for 2025–2026 (97th percentile, 5 stars) and holding a spot in the top 3% of schools for three consecutive years. On nearly every assessment, proficiency rates are roughly double state averages: CMAS ELA reaches 84.1% versus 44.7% statewide, CMAS Math hits 67.4% versus 37.3%, SAT Reading & Writing sits at 90% versus 60%, SAT Math at 71% versus 32%, and 11th-grade science at 65.9% versus 24.8%. Literacy is the school’s greatest strength, with PSAT9 Reading & Writing at 96% and PSAT10 at 92%, while math scores, though still well above average, are comparatively lower — a common pattern for arts-focused schools.
The school also posts excellent non-academic outcomes. Its 96.6% graduation rate is 15 points above the district and 11 points above the state, and chronic absenteeism is just 12.1% compared to 38.1% for the district and 28.4% statewide. Only 15.8% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student–teacher ratio is a relatively high 20.1:1, suggesting that student selectivity, curriculum, and school culture drive success rather than small class sizes. With an extremely low recent dropout rate of 0.5% and a 5-star rating, Denver School of the Arts stands as one of Colorado’s premier public schools despite the surrounding district’s overall lower performance.
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