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Public elementary school · Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah · Centennial, Colorado

Willow Creek Elementary School

Willow Creek Elementary School rates 9.2, among the strongest elementary schools in Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah, where the rated median is 7.8.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
9.2this school

9.2 on a one-to-ten scale; the Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah median is 7.8.

#25 of 1,829 schools in Colorado · Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah: 46 elementary schools rated, median 7.8

The brief

A Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah elementary school where students score 9 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 25 of 1,829 schools in Colorado and 3 of 70 in Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah.

Willow Creek Elementary School is listed in Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math68%27 points above the Colorado average of 41%2026 CMAS
Reading71%25 points above the Colorado average of 46%2026 CMAS
Proficiency declined earlier in the 18-year record (2009–2026), then recovered 12 points since 2021, reaching 69% in 2026.2026 CMAS; 43 test records from CO state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
9.6
50% of the rating
Academics
9.3
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
8.0
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 72% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 74% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

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 · 2026 CMAS · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2026 CMAS. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2026 CMAS · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2026 CMAS. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · 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 80112; 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, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Willow Creek Elementary School and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$107,504
Median home value
$627,500
Median rent
$1,948/mo
College educated
62.1%
Homeownership
52.3%
Poverty rate
4.7%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 80112; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
49
Car-Dependent
Transit Score
34
Some Transit
Bike Score
39
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
1,482/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Centennial. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Centennial), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
13.9%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Willow Creek Elementary Schoolthis school
    9.2
  2. 9.2Compare →
  3. 8.9Compare →
  4. 7.7Compare →
  5. Skyview Academy1.7 mi · charter
    7.4Compare →
  6. 5.7Compare →
  7. 5.5Compare →
  8. 5.5Compare →
  9. 5.0Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Willow Creek Elementary School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

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.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Willow Creek Elementary School serve?

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

How many students attend Willow Creek Elementary School?

Willow Creek Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 502 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Willow Creek Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Willow Creek Elementary 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 Willow Creek Elementary School rank in CO?

Willow Creek Elementary School ranks #25 of 1,829 schools in CO.

What is Willow Creek Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Willow Creek Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 9.2 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 Willow Creek Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Willow Creek Elementary School has 72% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 74% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is Willow Creek Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Willow Creek Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

13.9% of students at Willow Creek 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 facts

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
502
Student-teacher ratio
17.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
29
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Midsize City
County
Arapahoe County
Rank in district
#3 of 70
Schools in district
70
District spending per student
$15,158
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.8%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 80112)
36,687
Area average commute
21.4 min
Area median age
35.7

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

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.