Best Schools in Parker, Colorado
32 schools · 23 Elementary · 3 Middle · 5 High · 1 Other
Choosing a school in Parker?
Use this page to compare every school in Parker by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Prairie Crossing Elementary School
Elementary · Douglas County School District No. Re 1. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Parker Core Knowledge Charter School
Elementary · Douglas County School District No. Re 1. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Mammoth Heights Elementary
Elementary · Douglas County School District No. Re 1. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Parker for 2026 are Prairie Crossing Elementary School (8.9/10), Parker Core Knowledge Charter School (8.8/10), and Mammoth Heights Elementary (8.7/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 24 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
32
26 public · 6 private
Avg Score
6.9
out of 10
Median Home
$661,500
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Schools
32
26 public · 6 private
Avg Score
6.9
out of 10
Median Home
$661,500
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Rates 8.7/10 despite 25% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.6 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Parker schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Parker
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 24 rated schools; 32 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prairie Crossing Elementary School | 8.9 / 10 |
| 2 | Parker Core Knowledge Charter School | 8.8 / 10 |
| 3 | Mammoth Heights Elementary | 8.7 / 10 |
| 4 | Challenge to Excellence Charter School | 8.3 / 10 |
| 5 | Frontier Valley Elementary School | 8.1 / 10 |
| 6 | North Star Academy | 8.0 / 10 |
| 7 | Pine Lane Elementary | 7.8 / 10 |
| 8 | Pioneer Elementary School | 7.7 / 10 |
| 9 | Gold Rush Elementary | 7.7 / 10 |
| 10 | Northeast Elementary School | 7.4 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.9/10
- Median household income
- $142,280
- Median home value
- $661,500
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 54%
- Avg commute
- 28 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 80%
53% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Parker compares
Colorado rank
#29 of 126
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.6
above Colorado avg (6.4)
Median household income
$142k
165% of Colorado median
Schools in this city
30
Douglas County School District No. Re 1 runs 88% of Parker's public schools
Parker touches 3 districts, but Douglas County School District No. Re 1 is the one most addresses actually attend.
Douglas County School District No. Re 1 accounts for 23 of 26 public schools (88%). The other 2 districts hold the remaining 3.
Among 24 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 4.9 to 8.9 — the spread is inside Parker, not a citywide average.
6 of the 26 public schools are charters (23%), so the district split is not the whole market.
- Douglas County School District No. Re 123 public · 88%
- Elizabeth School District2 public · 8%
- State Charter School Institute1 public · 4%
About Schools in Parker, Colorado
Parker, Colorado has 26 ranked public schools with an average score of 7.7 out of 10 — a strong baseline that puts most of its schools well above the midpoint. Eighteen of those 26 schools (69%) score 7 or higher, meaning parents here have a wide field of solid options rather than a narrow set of standouts surrounded by weaker alternatives. That distribution matters: it indicates broad, consistent performance across the city rather than one exceptional school carrying the average.
The top performers are concentrated at the elementary level. Prairie Crossing Elementary School leads the city with a 9.2 out of 10, the highest score among Parker's ranked schools. Northeast Elementary follows at 9.0, and three more elementary schools — Challenge to Excellence Charter School (8.8), Pine Lane Elementary (8.7), and North Star Academy (8.7) — round out the top five. A cluster of five schools scoring 8.7 or above in a single city is a meaningful signal. This isn't one outlier pulling the numbers up; it reflects a consistently competitive elementary tier.
School type diversity shows up at the top as well. Challenge to Excellence Charter School sits alongside four traditional public elementaries in the top five, giving families a charter option without sacrificing performance. Parents with younger children have real choices across both model types, all within the upper tier.
Parker's 7.7 average is strong, but 26 schools still produce a meaningful spread. The bottom third of the list falls noticeably below the city mean — so proximity alone isn't a reliable selection strategy. Families targeting the 18 schools scoring 7.0 or above have plenty of runway. Those prioritizing elementary enrollment should anchor their search at Prairie Crossing and Northeast, then use MySchoolScout's filters to weigh proximity, size, and program fit across the remaining top-tier options. The data rewards active comparison over defaulting to the nearest building.
Elementary Schools
23 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 610 students · Kindergarten–6th | 8.9 |
| 2 | 705 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.8 |
| 3 | 606 students · Pre-K–6th | 8.7 |
| 4 | 346 students · Pre-K–2nd | 8.4 |
| 5 | 548 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.3 |
| 6 | 378 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.1 |
| 7 | 678 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.0 |
| 8 | 774 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.8 |
| 9 | 464 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.7 |
| 10 | 675 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.7 |
Show all 23 elementary schools in Parker
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 833 students · 6th–8th | 7.3 |
| 2 | 1,089 students · 6th–8th | 7.0 |
| 3 | 784 students · 7th–8th | 6.5 |
High Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2,045 students · 9th–12th | 6.8 | ||
| 2 | 2,206 students · 9th–12th | 6.8 | ||
| 3 | 1,424 students · 9th–12th | 6.4 | ||
| 4 | 1,108 students · 9th–12th | 6.1 | ||
Private Schools1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Lutheran High SchoolPrivate 814 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 61 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 5.7 |
Schools in Parker
Parker, Colorado · 32 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$142,280
Median Home Value
$661,500
Median Rent
$1,973/mo
Population
113,756
College Educated
54%
Homeownership
80%
Avg Commute
28 min
Poverty Rate
3.2%
Community Profile
Parker has a median household income of $142,280. It is a well-educated community where 54% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $661,500, with a median rent of $1,973/month. The local poverty rate of 3.2% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 28 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Colorado
- Elementary
- 23
- Middle
- 3
- High
- 5
- Other
- 1
Resources
Other Major Cities in Colorado
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Parker, Colorado
How many schools are in Parker, Colorado?
Parker has 32 schools, including 26 public and 6 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Parker, Colorado?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Parker is 6.9 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Parker, Colorado?
The top-ranked school in Parker on MySchoolScout is Prairie Crossing Elementary School with a composite score of 8.9/10.
What is the best elementary school in Parker, Colorado?
The top-ranked elementary school in Parker on MySchoolScout is Prairie Crossing Elementary School with a composite score of 8.9/10.
What is the best middle school in Parker, Colorado?
The top-ranked middle school in Parker on MySchoolScout is Sagewood Middle School with a composite score of 7.3/10.
What is the best high school in Parker, Colorado?
The top-ranked high school in Parker on MySchoolScout is Chaparral High School with a composite score of 6.8/10.
How many school districts serve Parker, Colorado?
Parker is served by 3 school districts: State Charter School Institute, Douglas County School District No. Re 1, Elizabeth School District.
What is the education level in Parker, Colorado?
According to Census data, 54% of adults in Parker have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Parker, Colorado?
The median household income in Parker is approximately $142,280 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Parker, Colorado?
Yes, Parker has 6 private schools alongside 26 public schools. The top-rated private school is Southeast Christian School with a score of 6.1/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Parker, Colorado?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Parker is 17.2:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Parker, Colorado?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
Related reading
Get school insights in your inbox
New rankings and parent guides, free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Colorado Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.