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Needs Improvement

#1723 of 1,815 schools in CO

South Elementary School

Elementary School · School District 27j · Brighton, CO

A School District 27j elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 5th.

305 SOUTH 5TH AVENUE, Brighton, CO 80601

  • Math 17% vs CO 40% (2025)
  • Reading 22% vs CO 45% (2025)
  • 15:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.1Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-5.21 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.0Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency16.9% (2025 CMAS)
Reading/ELA Proficiency22.1% (2025 CMAS)
Math vs. State Avg-19.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-22.8 pts
Overall Proficiency19% (2025 CMAS, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)20% (model expectation from 2025 CMAS)
vs. Expected-0.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile31th
Resources & Environment4.1Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15:1
District spending per student$10,854
Chronic Absenteeism41.3%

Students at South Elementary School score 19% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 20%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 CMAS proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CO average.

Math Proficiency17%(2025 CMAS)
School
State
40%(2025 CMAS)
ELA Proficiency22%(2025 CMAS)
School
State
45%(2025 CMAS)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 10 points since 2020, reaching 19% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
95%
ELA
93%
2010
Math
94%
ELA
90%
2011
Math
73%
ELA
69%
2012
Math
63%
ELA
59%
2013
Math
69%
ELA
63%
2014
Math
9%
ELA
20%
2015
Math
16%
ELA
29%
2016
Math
19%
ELA
31%
2017
Math
15%
ELA
34%
2018
Math
20%
ELA
30%
2019
Math
20%
ELA
30%
2020*
Math
8%
ELA
12%
2021*
Math
8%
ELA
12%
2022
Math
12%
2025
Math
17%
ELA
22%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 33% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 39% (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

84.9%

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 South 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 75Very Walkable
  • Transit 27Some Transit
  • Bike 50Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,005/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$99,031

Median home value

$471,900

Median rent

$1,729/mo

College educated

23.6%

Homeownership

70.9%

Poverty rate

8.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 80601; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Bright BeginningsEnrollment path unverified4.6PK0.5 mi103Compare →
Brighton Adventist AcademyPrivate · tuition5.2privatePK–100.6 mi49Compare →
Zion Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuition4.6privatePK–80.7 mi208Compare →
Southeast Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified2.7PK–50.8 mi512Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

School District 27j

Schools in district
33
Rank in district
#22 of 31
District spending per student
$10,854NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
6.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

South Elementary School is listed in School District 27J; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About South Elementary School

South Elementary School is a public elementary school in Brighton, CO, part of School District 27j, serving approximately 344 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 15:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 out of 10 and ranks #1,723 of 1,815 schools in CO. State assessment records show 33% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about South Elementary School

What grades does South Elementary School serve?

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

How many students attend South Elementary School?

South Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 344 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at South Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at South Elementary School is 15:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does South Elementary School rank in CO?

South Elementary School ranks #1,723 of 1,815 schools in CO.

What is South Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

South Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 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 South Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, South Elementary School has 33% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is South Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is South Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

84.9% of students at South 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
344
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
Teachers (FTE)
23
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Adams County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
41.3%
Area population (ZIP 80601)
41,301
Area average commute
30.7 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 80601; this does not measure the attendance area.

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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