Riverdale Ridge High School

Summary:

Riverdale Ridge High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Thornton, Colorado, with a student population of 1,463 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school faces several challenges, including declining statewide ranking, academic performance gaps among student subgroups, and underperformance compared to nearby schools.

Riverdale Ridge High School has a more diverse student population compared to the surrounding schools, with 45.25% White, 42.45% Hispanic, and 5.6% Asian students. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is generally lower than the state and district averages. For example, only 16% of 11th-grade students at Riverdale Ridge High School were proficient or better in SAT Mathematics, compared to the state average of 31% and the district average of 16%. The school also ranks lower for Asian, Hispanic, and White student subgroups, as well as for students with disabilities and gifted and talented students.

When compared to nearby schools, Riverdale Ridge High School generally underperforms. For instance, Eagle Ridge Academy, a public charter school within the same School District 27J, outperforms Riverdale Ridge High School in both academic achievement and statewide ranking. Additionally, Riverdale Ridge High School has a relatively high student-teacher ratio of 24.2, which may be a contributing factor to the school's academic performance challenges.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 13380 Yosemite Street
       Thornton, CO  80602-8326


(303) 655-6800

District: School District 27J

SchoolDigger Rank:
222nd of 349 Colorado High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $5,854 Help


Feeder schools for Riverdale Ridge High School:

Elementary:    Brantner Elementary School
    John W Thimmig Elementary School
    Southeast Elementary School
    West Ridge Elementary
Middle:    Prairie View Middle School
    Rodger Quist Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  24.2 Help
Number of students:  1,463

Racial breakdown:

White:
45.2%
Hispanic:
42.4%
Asian:
5.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  27.8% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Riverdale Ridge High School ranks worse than 63.6% of high schools in Colorado. It also ranks 2nd among 5 ranked high schools in the School District 27J. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 34.38. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Riverdale Ridge High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Riverdale Ridge High School has the largest high school student body size in the School District 27J.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Riverdale Ridge High School is $5,854. 4 high schools in the School District 27J spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Riverdale Ridge High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Riverdale Ridge High School 222nd of 349 Colorado public high schools. (See Riverdale Ridge High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


School District 27J:

SchoolDigger ranks School District 27J 82nd of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Riverdale Ridge High School

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Rank History for all students at Riverdale Ridge High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 18.86 168th 210 20.0%
2022 21.03 170th 221 23.1%
2023 38.80 204th 349 41.5%
2024 34.38 222nd 349 36.4%
See the entire list of Colorado High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Riverdale Ridge High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 46.36 39th 62 37.1%
2024 57.48 32nd 61 47.5%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Riverdale Ridge High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 34.06 132nd 188 29.8%
2022 33.83 137th 203 32.5%
2023 43.07 111th 200 44.5%
2024 33.08 141st 211 33.2%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Riverdale Ridge High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 29.56 165th 239 31.0%
2022 31.23 175th 257 31.9%
2023 37.02 159th 254 37.4%
2024 33.13 165th 257 35.8%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Riverdale Ridge High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 19.60 70th 84 16.7%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Riverdale Ridge High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 33.95 97th 118 17.8%
2022 53.18 62nd 108 42.6%
2023 17.92 122nd 135 9.6%
2024 43.67 96th 140 31.4%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Riverdale Ridge High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 33.16 153rd 240 36.3%
2022 34.41 156th 253 38.3%
2023 35.38 160th 252 36.5%
2024 31.51 164th 256 35.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Riverdale Ridge High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 4.94 38th 41 7.3%
2022 18.35 38th 45 15.6%
2023 29.74 33rd 43 23.3%
2024 25.92 32nd 43 25.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Riverdale Ridge High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 27.09 133rd 181 26.5%
2022 36.06 122nd 205 40.5%
2023 32.13 127th 198 35.9%
2024 29.68 134th 199 32.7%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Riverdale Ridge High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 19.78 177th 225 21.3%
2022 20.84 182nd 228 20.2%
2023 22.58 186th 234 20.5%
2024 20.00 188th 229 17.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Colorado Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Riverdale Ridge High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.3)
33%

33%

0%

0%

33%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, June 16, 2023

Open Quote We had our kids at this school prior to COVID and throughout those years. We had an issue with a teacher who was telling the girls in class how they needed to stay away from boys and form female relationships instead. These and other inappropriate behavior/comments from this teacher made the girls very uncomfortable. When I wanted to speak to the principal it was a huge ordeal as he was filtered by two to three assistant principals who covered for him. We never were able to meet with him as they tried to downplay the issue and cover for the teacher. There was no corrective action or accountability for the teacher. It was apparent that the principal and his assistants were very inexperienced and how the school was ran was a glaring example. I would not recommend this school to anyone if they are looking for a well rounded, learning environment. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, April 13, 2023

Open Quote This school is highly diverse, has great STEAM programs, many after school activities offered, higher than district testing results, and wonderfully supportive teachers and administration! Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, August 20, 2020

Open Quote The school is newer and is well on to a good start the teachers are carrying and the office staff is very efficient. School sports are a little bit disorganized but I believe that they will get this manage with some time under their belts Close Quote



Enrollment information for Riverdale Ridge High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2019 260 7 34 219 3 2 18 0 543
2020 430 17 50 352 5 3 32 0 889
2021 583 18 68 474 3 5 44 0 1195
2022 619 16 72 551 4 4 66 0 1332
2023 662 23 82 621 4 1 70 0 1463

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Riverdale Ridge High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2019 543 24.9 21.7 30.9
2020 889 44.4 19.9 30.4
2021 1195 57.0 20.9 22.9
2022 1332 55.5 23.9 23.6
2023 1463 60.3 24.2 27.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Riverdale Ridge High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2019 543 24.9 21.7 30.9
2020 889 44.4 19.9 30.4
2021 1195 57.0 20.9 22.9
2022 1332 55.5 23.9 23.6
2023 1463 60.3 24.2 27.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Riverdale Ridge High School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $11,245
2020 $10,601
2021 $10,453
2022 $10,563
2023 $5,854

Data source: Colorado Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Riverdale Ridge High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students5431463
 169.4%
African American723
 228.6%
American Indian34
 33.3%
Asian3482
 141.2%
Hispanic219621
 183.6%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White260662
 154.6%
Two or More Races1870
 288.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients30.9%27.8%
 3.2%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Riverdale Ridge High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,463 students attended Riverdale Ridge High School.

Students at Riverdale Ridge High School are 45% White, 42% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 5% Two or more races, 2% African American.

Riverdale Ridge High School ranks 222nd of 349 Colorado high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Colorado Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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