Best public high schools in Colorado
As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a ’96 commencement address at Wellesley College, “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” If that’s the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It’s a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 49.4 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.
For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the 30 best public high schools in Colorado using 2023 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students. School districts are provided when available; otherwise, the city is listed instead.
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#30. Palmer Ridge High School
– Location: Lewis-Palmer School District 38, CO
– Enrollment: 1,206 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#29. Ralston Valley Senior High School
– Location: Jefferson County School District No. R-1, CO
– Enrollment: 1,813 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#28. Centaurus High School
– Location: Boulder Valley School District, CO
– Enrollment: 1,594 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#27. Arapahoe High School
– Location: Littleton Public Schools, CO
– Enrollment: 1,884 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#26. Silver Creek High School
– Location: St Vrain Valley School District, CO
– Enrollment: 1,272 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
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#25. Northfield High School
– Location: Denver Public Schools, CO
– Enrollment: 1,570 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#24. Air Academy High School
– Location: Academy School District No. 20, CO
– Enrollment: 1,351 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#23. Classical Academy High School
– Location: Academy School District No. 20, CO
– Enrollment: 552 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#22. Liberty Common Charter School
– Location: Poudre School District, CO
– Enrollment: 1,150 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#21. Evergreen High School
– Location: Jefferson County School District No. R-1, CO
– Enrollment: 975 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
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#20. Monarch High School
– Location: Boulder Valley School District, CO
– Enrollment: 1,515 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#19. Mountain Vista High School
– Location: Douglas County School District No. RE-1, CO
– Enrollment: 2,365 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#18. Cherokee Trail High School
– Location: Cherry Creek School District, CO
– Enrollment: 2,833 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#17. DSST: Cedar High School
– Location: Denver Public Schools, CO
– Enrollment: 557 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#16. Lakewood High School
– Location: Jefferson County School District No. R-1, CO
– Enrollment: 1,991 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
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#15. Niwot High School
– Location: St Vrain Valley School District, CO
– Enrollment: 1,484 (23:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#14. STEM School Highlands Ranch
– Location: Douglas County School District No. RE-1, CO
– Enrollment: 1,455 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#13. DSST: Montview High School
– Location: Denver Public Schools, CO
– Enrollment: 570 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#12. Denver School of the Arts
– Location: Denver Public Schools, CO
– Enrollment: 1,090 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#11. East High School
– Location: Denver Public Schools, CO
– Enrollment: 2,589 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
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#10. The Vanguard School Senior High
– Location: Harrison School District No. 2, CO
– Enrollment: 321 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#9. Boulder High School
– Location: Boulder Valley School District, CO
– Enrollment: 2,139 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A
#8. Rock Canyon High School
– Location: Douglas County School District No. RE-1, CO•
– Enrollment: 2,376 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
#7. D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School
– Location: Jefferson County School District No. R-1, CO
– Enrollment: 1,119 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
#6. Grandview High School
– Location: Cherry Creek School District, CO
– Enrollment: 2,851 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#5. Fairview High School
– Location: Boulder Valley School District, CO
– Enrollment: 1,977 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
#4. Cheyenne Mountain High School
– Location: Cheyenne Mountain School District No. 12, CO
– Enrollment: 1,261 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
#3. Peak to Peak Charter School
– Location: Boulder Valley School District, CO
– Enrollment: 1,450 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
#2. Cherry Creek High School
– Location: Cherry Creek School District, CO
– Enrollment: 3,809 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
#1. Stargate Charter School
– Location: Adams 12 Five Star Schools, CO
– Enrollment: 1,551 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
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By Stacker
