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#1278 of 1,815 schools in CO

North Star Elementary School

Elementary School · Adams 12 Five Star Schools · Denver, CO

An Adams 12 Five Star Schools elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 5th.

8740 NORTH STAR DRIVE, Denver, CO 80221

  • Math 19% vs CO 42% (2025)
  • Reading 16% vs CO 45% (2025)
  • 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.7Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-3.65 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics4.9Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency19.1% (2025 CMAS)
Reading/ELA Proficiency15.7% (2025 CMAS)
Math vs. State Avg-23.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-29.2 pts
Overall Proficiency17% (2025 CMAS, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)16% (model expectation from 2025 CMAS)
vs. Expected+1.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile30th
Resources & Environment4.3Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.8:1
District spending per student$14,748
Chronic Absenteeism51.4%

Students at North Star Elementary School score 17% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 16%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 CMAS proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CO average.

Math Proficiency19%(2025 CMAS)
School
State
42%(2025 CMAS)
ELA Proficiency16%(2025 CMAS)
School
State
45%(2025 CMAS)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 5 points since 2020, reaching 18% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
80%
ELA
75%
2010
Math
81%
ELA
68%
2011
Math
47%
ELA
38%
2012
Math
45%
ELA
38%
2013
Math
40%
ELA
38%
2014
Math
4%
ELA
12%
2015
Math
9%
ELA
14%
2016
Math
9%
ELA
16%
2017
Math
11%
ELA
20%
2018
Math
14%
ELA
22%
2019
Math
14%
ELA
22%
2020*
Math
10%
ELA
15%
2021*
Math
10%
ELA
15%
2022
Math
12%
2025
Math
19%
ELA
16%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 27% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 27% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 32 test records from CO state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

92.1%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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 rate

The neighborhood

Where North Star Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Denver map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 45Car-Dependent
  • Transit 39Some Transit
  • Bike 57Bikeable
  • City Safety: High5,773/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Denver), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$84,425

Median home value

$449,700

Median rent

$1,642/mo

College educated

27.8%

Homeownership

68.4%

Poverty rate

10%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 80221; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
The Pinnacle Charter SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified4.7K–120.5 mi1,909Compare →
Sherrelwood Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.6PK–50.9 mi199Compare →
Mcelwain Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.8K–51.1 mi358Compare →
North Mor Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.3PK–51.1 mi314Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Adams 12 Five Star Schools

Schools in district
54
Rank in district
#26 of 53
District spending per student
$14,748NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

North Star Elementary School is listed in Adams 12 Five Star Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About North Star Elementary School

North Star Elementary School is a public elementary school in Denver, CO, part of Adams 12 Five Star Schools, serving approximately 331 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.2 out of 10 and ranks #1,278 of 1,815 schools in CO. State assessment records show 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 27% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about North Star Elementary School

What grades does North Star Elementary School serve?

North Star Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend North Star Elementary School?

North Star Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 331 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at North Star Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at North Star Elementary School is 15.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does North Star Elementary School rank in CO?

North Star Elementary School ranks #1,278 of 1,815 schools in CO.

What is North Star Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

North Star Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at North Star Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, North Star Elementary School has 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 27% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is North Star Elementary School a charter school?

No, North Star Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is North Star Elementary School a Title I school?

No, North Star Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for North Star Elementary School?

92.1% of students at North Star Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
331
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
21
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Adams County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
51.4%
Area population (ZIP 80221)
40,938
Area average commute
27.5 min
Area median age
34.7
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 CMAS · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 CMAS · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 80221; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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