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Needs Improvement

#1747 of 1,815 schools in CO

Shadow Ridge Middle School

Middle School · Adams 12 Five Star Schools · Thornton, CO

An Adams 12 Five Star Schools middle school where students score 17 points below what's typical for similar communities.

12551 HOLLY STREET, Thornton, CO 80602

  • Math 10% vs CO 35% (2025)
  • Reading 20% vs CO 46% (2025)
  • 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.8Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-4.31 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics2.6Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency10.4% (2025 CMAS)
Reading/ELA Proficiency19.4% (2025 CMAS)
Math vs. State Avg-25.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-25.5 pts
Overall Proficiency15% (2025 CMAS, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)32% (model expectation from 2025 CMAS)
vs. Expected-16.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile9th
Resources & Environment3.6Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17.3:1
District spending per student$14,748
Chronic Absenteeism50.9%

Students at Shadow Ridge Middle School score 15% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 32%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 CMAS proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CO average.

Math Proficiency10%(2025 CMAS)
School
State
35%(2025 CMAS)
ELA Proficiency20%(2025 CMAS)
School
State
46%(2025 CMAS)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 71 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 15% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
83%
ELA
88%
2010
Math
83%
ELA
88%
2011
Math
50%
ELA
65%
2012
Math
49%
ELA
58%
2013
Math
50%
ELA
62%
2014
Math
24%
ELA
28%
2015
Math
22%
ELA
26%
2016
Math
24%
ELA
38%
2017
Math
26%
ELA
42%
2018
Math
21%
ELA
38%
2019
Math
21%
ELA
38%
2020*
Math
15%
ELA
25%
2021*
Math
15%
ELA
25%
2022
Math
13%
2025
Math
10%
ELA
20%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 30% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 41% (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 35 test records from CO state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

61.3%

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 Shadow Ridge Middle 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 30Car-Dependent
  • Transit 24Minimal Transit
  • Bike 40Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,129/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Thornton), 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

$146,679

Median home value

$639,300

Median rent

$2,574/mo

College educated

43.9%

Homeownership

92.2%

Poverty rate

3.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 80602; 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
Century Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.76–82.4 mi759Compare →
Rodger Quist Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.26–82.4 mi844Compare →
Rocky Top Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.26–82.7 mi1,060Compare →
Westgate Community SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified6.6K–122.8 mi547Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

Adams 12 Five Star Schools

Schools in district
54
Rank in district
#51 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

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

About Shadow Ridge Middle School

Shadow Ridge Middle School is a public middle school in Thornton, CO, part of Adams 12 Five Star Schools, serving approximately 641 students in grades 6th-8th with a 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.3 out of 10 and ranks #1,747 of 1,815 schools in CO. State assessment records show 30% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Shadow Ridge Middle School

What grades does Shadow Ridge Middle School serve?

Shadow Ridge Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Shadow Ridge Middle School?

Shadow Ridge Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 641 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Shadow Ridge Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Shadow Ridge Middle School is 17.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Shadow Ridge Middle School rank in CO?

Shadow Ridge Middle School ranks #1,747 of 1,815 schools in CO.

What is Shadow Ridge Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Shadow Ridge Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.3 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 Shadow Ridge Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Shadow Ridge Middle School has 30% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Shadow Ridge Middle School a charter school?

No, Shadow Ridge Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Shadow Ridge Middle School a Title I school?

No, Shadow Ridge Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Shadow Ridge Middle School?

61.3% of students at Shadow Ridge Middle 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
641
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
37
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Adams County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
50.9%
Area population (ZIP 80602)
42,237
Area average commute
32 min
Area median age
38.4
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 80602; 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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