Thunder Ridge Middle School

Summary:

Thunder Ridge Middle School is a public middle school located in Aurora, Colorado, serving 1,152 students in grades 6-8 and part of the Cherry Creek School District No. 5, which is ranked 28 out of 116 school districts in the state.

Thunder Ridge has a relatively diverse student population, with 50.87% White, 10.76% African American, 22.83% Hispanic, 6.68% Asian, and 7.73% two or more races. Academically, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (39.6%) and Math (25.4%) are generally on par with or slightly below the district and state averages. However, the school's performance varies across different student subgroups, ranking highly for African American students and low-socioeconomic status students, but lower for Asian students and gifted and talented students. Compared to nearby schools like Fox Ridge Middle School and Liberty Middle School, Thunder Ridge's academic performance is generally lower.

Thunder Ridge has a higher percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients (28.47%) compared to some of the other nearby schools, suggesting it serves a more economically diverse student population. The school's student-teacher ratio of 16.9 is relatively low, which may contribute to its ability to provide more individualized attention to students. Overall, Thunder Ridge Middle School faces some challenges in maintaining its academic standing compared to nearby schools and in addressing the achievement gaps observed across different student populations.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 5250 South Picadilly Street
       Aurora, CO  80015-3300


(720) 886-1500

District: Cherry Creek School District No. 5

SchoolDigger Rank:
237th of 485 Colorado Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,121 Help


Students who attend Thunder Ridge Middle School usually attend:

High:    Eaglecrest High School

Feeder schools for Thunder Ridge Middle School:

Elementary:    Antelope Ridge Elementary School
    Canyon Creek Elementary School
    Peakview Elementary School
    Timberline Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.9 Help
Number of students:  1,152

Racial breakdown:

White:
50.9%
Hispanic:
22.8%
African American:
10.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  28.5% Help


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 Compare Thunder Ridge Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Thunder Ridge Middle School ranks better than 51.1% of middle schools in Colorado. It also ranks 8th among 11 ranked middle schools in the Cherry Creek School District No. 5. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.53. (See more...)
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
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 Thunder Ridge Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Cherry Creek School District No. 5.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Thunder Ridge Middle School is $14,121. 9 middle schools in the Cherry Creek School District No. 5 spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Thunder Ridge Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Thunder Ridge Middle School 237th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Thunder Ridge Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Cherry Creek School District No. 5:

SchoolDigger ranks Cherry Creek School District No. 5 28th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Thunder Ridge Middle School?

Rank History for Thunder Ridge Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Thunder Ridge Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 60.88 131st 336 61.0%
2005 61.64 135th 340 60.3%
2006 63.37 121st 346 65.0%
2007 59.66 144th 360 60.0%
2008 60.41 135th 362 62.7%
2009 63.37 136th 377 63.9%
2010 63.57 144th 409 64.8%
2011 62.99 154th 422 63.5%
2012 66.27 144th 425 66.1%
2013 69.74 130th 454 71.4%
2014 65.94 149th 461 67.7%
2015 66.96 107th 436 75.5%
2016 68.54 87th 400 78.3%
2017 60.83 133rd 424 68.6%
2018 60.31 140th 418 66.5%
2019 57.27 171st 458 62.7%
2021 58.40 129th 369 65.0%
2022 59.01 155th 448 65.4%
2023 46.64 228th 480 52.5%
2024 42.53 237th 485 51.1%
See the entire list of Colorado Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Thunder Ridge Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.14 2nd 2 0.0%
2022 40.82 6th 6 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Thunder Ridge Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.37 84th 222 62.2%
2019 52.89 98th 240 59.2%
2021 85.23 6th 114 94.7%
2022 63.13 42nd 197 78.7%
2023 45.61 111th 241 53.9%
2024 31.72 171st 244 29.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Thunder Ridge Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.99 119th 315 62.2%
2019 55.51 145th 352 58.8%
2021 48.20 120th 254 52.8%
2022 54.72 136th 326 58.3%
2023 46.09 177th 363 51.2%
2024 41.33 181st 350 48.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Thunder Ridge Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.95 53rd 121 56.2%
2019 58.10 62nd 134 53.7%
2022 61.56 43rd 93 53.8%
2023 30.77 102nd 125 18.4%
2024 42.29 93rd 126 26.2%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Thunder Ridge Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.12 125th 317 60.6%
2019 53.68 136th 343 60.3%
2021 55.78 98th 249 60.6%
2022 51.79 131st 328 60.1%
2023 37.34 196th 356 44.9%
2024 35.03 212th 357 40.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Thunder Ridge Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.59 16th 16 0.0%
2019 27.64 22nd 25 12.0%
2024 7.46 19th 21 9.5%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Thunder Ridge Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.22 7th 22 68.2%
2019 62.91 9th 33 72.7%
2023 48.65 14th 25 44.0%
2024 57.60 8th 25 68.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Thunder Ridge Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.08 46th 165 72.1%
2019 50.27 95th 220 56.8%
2021 65.04 22nd 83 73.5%
2022 70.07 33rd 169 80.5%
2023 47.12 94th 198 52.5%
2024 36.83 114th 199 42.7%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Thunder Ridge Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.18 102nd 199 48.7%
2019 44.90 148th 283 47.7%
2021 43.29 109th 203 46.3%
2022 44.67 146th 265 44.9%
2023 32.44 196th 286 31.5%
2024 35.38 175th 273 35.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle 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.

Thunder Ridge Middle 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: 5)
100%

0%

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0%

0%

  

by a parent
Thursday, January 24, 2019

Open Quote This is my son's 2nd year at this school. We are very happy with this school. In my experience, the staff is very responsive to the kid's needs and make learning fun as well as hold the students accountable. I am very pleased with this school. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Thunder Ridge Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1993 818 37 35 33 2 n/a n/a 0 925
1994 979 49 48 34 6 n/a n/a 0 1116
1995 1214 65 47 51 2 n/a n/a 0 1379
1996 1214 65 47 51 2 n/a n/a 0 1379
1997 1252 63 50 67 5 n/a n/a 0 1437
1998 1318 79 64 78 5 n/a n/a 0 1544
1999 1430 74 82 91 7 n/a n/a 0 1684
2000 980 77 84 83 8 n/a n/a 0 1232
2001 1007 110 89 95 6 n/a n/a 0 1307
2002 1157 149 119 146 5 n/a n/a 0 1576
2003 1157 149 119 146 5 n/a n/a 0 1576
2004 1091 161 120 151 5 n/a n/a 0 1528
2005 1059 172 114 151 6 n/a n/a 0 1502
2006 895 150 106 132 6 n/a n/a 0 1289
2007 817 150 90 132 3 n/a n/a 0 1192
2008 804 151 88 135 3 n/a n/a 0 1181
2009 783 149 85 138 3 n/a n/a 0 1158
2010 793 171 90 157 5 n/a n/a 0 1216
2011 712 147 63 214 4 0 51 0 1191
2012 742 137 73 200 4 0 78 0 1234
2013 757 121 73 205 6 1 100 0 1263
2014 775 136 77 201 7 1 100 0 1297
2015 808 115 66 222 7 3 104 0 1325
2016 789 119 81 228 5 6 92 0 1320
2017 738 131 92 237 8 5 82 0 1293
2018 744 144 101 230 7 6 82 0 1314
2019 705 152 75 257 7 6 85 0 1287
2020 675 136 63 284 6 3 87 0 1254
2021 635 128 65 275 9 5 84 0 1201
2022 593 123 70 237 7 6 80 0 1116
2023 586 124 77 263 7 6 89 0 1152

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 Thunder Ridge Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 925 47.4 19.5 3.8
1994 1116 62.7 17.8 3.3
1995 1379 78.7 17.5 2.5
1996 1379 78.7 17.5 2.5
1997 1437 78.9 18.2 1.9
1998 1544 87.4 17.7 2.1
1999 1684 97.3 17.3 2.4
2000 1232 75.7 16.3 4.5
2001 1307 81.8 16.0 4.7
2002 1576 93.3 16.9 7.8
2003 1576 93.3 16.9 7.8
2004 1528 90.1 17.0 9.5
2005 1502 90.7 16.6 11.1
2006 1289 77.9 16.5 13.2
2007 1192 76.6 15.6 16.9
2008 1181 69.5 17.0 17.5
2009 1158 69.8 16.6 17.3
2010 1216 71.5 17.0 20.3
2011 1191 67.2 17.7 21.2
2012 1234 67.2 18.3 19.4
2013 1263 67.5 18.7 19.3
2014 1297 70.9 18.2 21
2015 1325 72.0 18.4 26.7
2016 1320 74.0 17.8 27.1
2017 1293 70.9 18.2 27.3
2018 1314 74.3 17.6 27.9
2019 1287 74.3 17.3 29
2020 1254 70.7 17.7 29
2021 1201 59.8 20.0 29
2022 1116 65.8 16.9 24.5
2023 1152 68.1 16.9 28.5

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 Thunder Ridge Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 925 47.4 19.5 3.8
1994 1116 62.7 17.8 3.3
1995 1379 78.7 17.5 2.5
1996 1379 78.7 17.5 2.5
1997 1437 78.9 18.2 1.9
1998 1544 87.4 17.7 2.1
1999 1684 97.3 17.3 2.4
2000 1232 75.7 16.3 4.5
2001 1307 81.8 16.0 4.7
2002 1576 93.3 16.9 7.8
2003 1576 93.3 16.9 7.8
2004 1528 90.1 17.0 9.5
2005 1502 90.7 16.6 11.1
2006 1289 77.9 16.5 13.2
2007 1192 76.6 15.6 16.9
2008 1181 69.5 17.0 17.5
2009 1158 69.8 16.6 17.3
2010 1216 71.5 17.0 20.3
2011 1191 67.2 17.7 21.2
2012 1234 67.2 18.3 19.4
2013 1263 67.5 18.7 19.3
2014 1297 70.9 18.2 21
2015 1325 72.0 18.4 26.7
2016 1320 74.0 17.8 27.1
2017 1293 70.9 18.2 27.3
2018 1314 74.3 17.6 27.9
2019 1287 74.3 17.3 29
2020 1254 70.7 17.7 29
2021 1201 59.8 20.0 29
2022 1116 65.8 16.9 24.5
2023 1152 68.1 16.9 28.5

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 Thunder Ridge Middle School

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $11,827
2020 $12,247
2021 $11,322
2022 $13,624
2023 $14,121

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Thunder Ridge Middle 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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 171st of 458 Middle schoolsRanks 228th of 480 Middle schools
 10.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Thunder Ridge Middle School)42.134.9
 7.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Cherry Creek School District No. 5)47.946.5
 1.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)43.643.4
 0.2%
6th Grade Math (Thunder Ridge Middle School)3324.1
 8.9%
   6th Grade Math (Cherry Creek School District No. 5)38.633.7
 4.9%
   6th Grade Math (Colorado)29.528.2
 1.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Thunder Ridge Middle School)43.746.2
 2.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Cherry Creek School District No. 5)51.751.4
 0.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.545
 1.5%
7th Grade Math (Thunder Ridge Middle School)42.731
 11.7%
   7th Grade Math (Cherry Creek School District No. 5)42.334.1
 8.2%
   7th Grade Math (Colorado)31.626.3
 5.3%
8th Grade Science (Thunder Ridge Middle School)47.837
 10.8%
   8th Grade Science (Cherry Creek School District No. 5)44.344.7
 0.4%
   8th Grade Science (Colorado)31.531.3
 0.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Thunder Ridge Middle School)44.741.5
 3.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Cherry Creek School District No. 5)50.450.2
 0.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.942.4
 4.5%
8th Grade Math (Thunder Ridge Middle School)44.433.8
 10.6%
   8th Grade Math (Cherry Creek School District No. 5)4744.2
 2.8%
   8th Grade Math (Colorado)36.932.7
 4.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Thunder Ridge Middle School)43.440.6
 2.8%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Cherry Creek School District No. 5)50.849.7
 1.1%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)45.843.7
 2.1%
All Grades Math (Thunder Ridge Middle School)39.828.9
 10.9%
   All Grades Math (Cherry Creek School District No. 5)43.139.9
 3.2%
   All Grades Math (Colorado)34.732.9
 1.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students12871152
 10.5%
African American152124
 18.4%
American Indian77
Asian7577
 2.7%
Hispanic257263
 2.3%
Pacific Islander66
White705586
 16.9%
Two or More Races8589
 4.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients29%28.5%
 0.5%


Schools Near Thunder Ridge Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Thunder Ridge Middle School

Students who attend Thunder Ridge Middle School usually go on to attend Eaglecrest High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,152 students attended Thunder Ridge Middle School.

Thunder Ridge Middle School ranks 237th of 485 Colorado middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Thunder Ridge Middle School are 51% White, 23% Hispanic, 11% African American, 8% Two or more races, 7% Asian.


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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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