Middle Schools in Cherry Creek School District No. 5

The Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in Colorado is home to 12 middle schools that serve students in grades 6-8. These schools exhibit a wide range of academic performance, with a few standout institutions like Campus Middle School and West Middle School consistently ranking among the top middle schools in the state. However, several schools in the district struggle academically, with proficiency rates well below the district and state averages.

The top-performing schools, Campus Middle and West Middle, boast exceptional test scores, with over 60% of students proficient in math and 70% in English Language Arts. In contrast, schools like Horizon Middle struggle to reach 30% proficiency in either subject. This performance gap appears to be correlated with socioeconomic status, as the schools with the highest free/reduced lunch rates, such as Prairie Middle and Horizon Middle, also have the lowest test scores.

Racial diversity also seems to be a factor, with the schools with the highest percentages of white students, like Campus Middle, West Middle, and Fox Ridge Middle, being among the top academic performers. Smaller school size does not necessarily guarantee success, as evidenced by the performance of Colorado Skies Academy, the smallest school in the district, which lags behind the district and state averages.