Summary:
Zip code 80260 contains 7 schools serving approximately 5,818 students from preschool through 12th grade, including five elementary schools (one K–8), one traditional high school, and one alternative K–12 charter, spread across Adams 12 Five Star Schools and State Charter School Institute, in a high-poverty area where free/reduced-price lunch eligibility ranges from 71.75% to 93.49% and chronic absenteeism averages about 38%.
STEM Launch is the clear academic standout, with the highest test scores in the zip (32.2% ELA and 23.1% math, plus 5th-grade science above state averages) and the lowest chronic absenteeism at 19.9% — the only school below the state rate. The other four elementary schools — Federal Heights Elementary School, Hillcrest Elementary School, North Star Elementary School, and North Mor Elementary School — all cluster near 21% ELA proficiency. The Pinnacle Charter School leads the area with a 94.2% graduation rate and 0.6% dropout rate, but its test scores are very low (6.7% math). Northglenn High School graduates 89% of students, yet its SAT math proficiency fell from 21% to 11% in one year.
Math proficiency is the most critical concern: only STEM Launch reaches even 23%, far below the state's 37.3%. Chronic absenteeism is also a major warning sign, especially at Northglenn High (50%) and North Star Elementary (48.4%). Both high schools post above-average graduation rates, suggesting students may graduate without college-ready skills, particularly in math. On the positive side, STEM Launch, Hillcrest, and Federal Heights all improved their state rankings, and with no standalone middle schools in 80260, families at the K–8 STEM Launch or K–12 The Pinnacle Charter School have built-in continuity through the middle grades.
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