Smoky Hill High School

Summary:

Smoky Hill High School is a public high school in Aurora, Colorado, serving 2,252 students in grades 9-12 and part of the Cherry Creek School District No. 5, which is ranked 28th out of 116 districts in the state.

Smoky Hill High School stands out for its diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 38.01% White, 17.27% African American, 29.35% Hispanic, and 5.99% Asian. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is generally lower than the district and state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Smoky Hill's proficiency rates in SAT Reading and Writing (54%) and SAT Mathematics (27%) were significantly lower than the Cherry Creek School District (70% and 43%, respectively) and the state of Colorado (58% and 31%, respectively). The school's performance also varies across different student subgroups, with African American and Hispanic students performing better than White and Asian students.

Compared to nearby high schools within the Cherry Creek School District, such as Grandview High School and Cherry Creek High School, Smoky Hill High School's performance is generally lower. Additionally, the school's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from 61st out of 255 Colorado high schools in 2015-2016 to 172nd out of 349 in 2023-2024, indicating a potential need for improvement in the school's academic programs and support systems. The higher percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds and the school's diverse racial composition may be contributing factors to the lower academic performance.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 16100 East Smoky Hill Road
       Aurora, CO  80015-1751


(720) 886-5300

District: Cherry Creek School District No. 5

SchoolDigger Rank:
172nd of 349 Colorado High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,227 Help


Feeder schools for Smoky Hill High School:

Elementary:    Cimarron Elementary School
    Independence Elementary School
    Indian Ridge Elementary School
    Mission Viejo Elementary School
    More...
Middle:    Laredo Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  19.5 Help
Number of students:  2,281

Racial breakdown:

White:
35.7%
Hispanic:
31.8%
African American:
16.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  50.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Smoky Hill High School ranks better than 50.7% of high schools in Colorado. It also ranks 6th among 7 ranked high schools in the Cherry Creek School District No. 5. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 48.47. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Smoky Hill High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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 Student population at Smoky Hill High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (35.7%), Hispanic (31.8%), African American (16.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 50.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Smoky Hill High School is 19.5. 7 high schools in the Cherry Creek School District No. 5 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Smoky Hill High School employs 116.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Smoky Hill High School is $14,227. 7 high schools in the Cherry Creek School District No. 5 spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Smoky Hill High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Smoky Hill High School 172nd of 349 Colorado public high schools. (See Smoky Hill High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled 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.)


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Your rating for Smoky Hill High School?

Rank History for Smoky Hill High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 72.44 78th 279 72.0%
2005 69.31 80th 280 71.4%
2006 70.72 80th 286 72.0%
2007 67.26 98th 298 67.1%
2008 70.19 93rd 301 69.1%
2009 65.09 113th 310 63.5%
2010 65.00 123rd 327 62.4%
2011 63.84 133rd 337 60.5%
2012 59.64 144th 334 56.9%
2013 64.38 126th 349 63.9%
2014 64.16 124th 369 66.4%
2015 48.69 107th 292 63.4%
2016 56.89 61st 255 76.1%
2017 30.05 162nd 256 36.7%
2018 60.77 132nd 388 66.0%
2019 58.25 151st 411 63.3%
2021 29.60 142nd 210 32.4%
2022 26.82 154th 221 30.3%
2023 48.98 162nd 349 53.6%
2024 48.47 172nd 349 50.7%
See the entire list of Colorado High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 36.97 30th 48 37.5%
2022 23.51 44th 56 21.4%
2023 15.24 50th 62 19.4%
2024 15.79 52nd 61 14.8%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 57.12 7th 16 56.3%
2022 61.09 9th 32 71.9%
2023 57.76 15th 44 65.9%
2024 68.61 12th 36 66.7%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 48.89 28th 60 53.3%
2022 38.00 46th 77 40.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 51.01 81st 188 56.9%
2022 47.77 104th 203 48.8%
2023 52.18 94th 200 53.0%
2024 47.41 108th 211 48.8%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.71 130th 239 45.6%
2022 41.05 146th 257 43.2%
2023 44.59 138th 254 45.7%
2024 49.42 122nd 257 52.5%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 43.58 37th 74 50.0%
2024 30.37 64th 84 23.8%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 60.91 47th 118 60.2%
2022 54.77 58th 108 46.3%
2023 65.35 48th 135 64.4%
2024 56.28 69th 140 50.7%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 46.87 124th 240 48.3%
2022 45.89 134th 253 47.0%
2023 46.28 130th 252 48.4%
2024 41.99 138th 256 46.1%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 47.83 23rd 41 43.9%
2022 32.16 31st 45 31.1%
2023 27.90 35th 43 18.6%
2024 37.31 29th 43 32.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 46.99 15th 29 48.3%
2022 50.00 18th 34 47.1%
2023 47.22 18th 36 50.0%
2024 47.77 14th 38 63.2%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 43.95 85th 181 53.0%
2022 47.83 85th 205 58.5%
2023 48.00 90th 198 54.5%
2024 58.00 69th 199 65.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Smoky Hill High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 38.36 135th 225 40.0%
2022 42.09 123rd 228 46.1%
2023 45.60 128th 234 45.3%
2024 41.55 129th 229 43.7%
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.

Smoky Hill 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: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Open Quote Outstanding teachers and IB program! School is diverse and an overall great environment for all students. Close Quote


by a student
Thursday, April 11, 2019

Open Quote Amazing school, I am proud to be able to such an accepting environment. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Smoky Hill High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 2204 131 66 77 7 n/a n/a 0 2485
1989 2152 136 70 75 7 n/a n/a 0 2440
1990 2226 143 83 74 6 n/a n/a 0 2532
1991 1905 133 91 65 7 n/a n/a 0 2201
1992 1907 140 108 81 8 n/a n/a 0 2244
1993 1819 141 115 84 12 n/a n/a 0 2171
1994 1873 131 141 116 8 n/a n/a 0 2269
1995 2192 165 212 141 5 n/a n/a 0 2715
1996 2192 165 212 141 5 n/a n/a 0 2715
1997 2393 192 233 172 7 n/a n/a 0 2997
1998 2500 223 249 166 13 n/a n/a 0 3151
1999 2409 233 248 155 15 n/a n/a 0 3060
2000 2303 214 253 150 21 n/a n/a 0 2941
2001 2190 231 256 173 18 n/a n/a 0 2868
2002 2047 295 250 223 16 n/a n/a 0 2831
2003 2047 295 250 223 16 n/a n/a 0 2831
2004 1906 339 245 232 11 n/a n/a 0 2733
2005 1822 356 236 246 8 n/a n/a 0 2668
2006 1708 356 220 268 21 n/a n/a 0 2573
2007 1591 387 206 275 24 n/a n/a 0 2483
2008 1556 441 180 300 21 n/a n/a 0 2498
2009 1421 470 196 286 20 n/a n/a 0 2393
2010 1400 485 189 280 20 n/a n/a 0 2374
2011 1278 393 179 359 17 11 87 0 2324
2012 1192 393 166 326 17 7 91 0 2192
2013 1085 375 170 338 13 4 102 0 2087
2014 1075 391 170 366 13 13 121 0 2149
2015 1015 366 164 406 13 10 126 0 2100
2016 960 353 166 435 13 9 108 0 2044
2017 920 383 162 486 15 6 114 0 2086
2018 923 374 151 479 14 10 120 0 2071
2019 873 362 154 490 14 7 124 0 2024
2020 905 394 150 531 20 12 148 0 2160
2021 927 383 143 567 18 13 157 0 2208
2022 848 379 134 588 13 14 157 0 2133
2023 856 389 135 661 10 14 187 0 2252
2024 815 382 131 725 12 9 202 5 2281

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 Smoky Hill High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2485 135.2 18.3 n/a
1989 2440 137.3 17.7 1.5
1990 2532 143.8 17.6 1.9
1991 2201 135.0 16.3 1.9
1992 2244 128.1 17.5 3
1993 2171 125.3 17.3 2.3
1994 2269 122.7 18.5 3.7
1995 2715 136.7 19.9 3.4
1996 2715 136.7 19.9 3.4
1997 2997 156.8 19.1 3.3
1998 3151 170.5 18.5 3.8
1999 3060 173.0 17.7 2.9
2000 2941 164.8 17.8 5.7
2001 2868 149.3 19.2 4.7
2002 2831 141.5 20.0 7.1
2003 2831 141.5 20.0 7.1
2004 2733 141.1 19.4 10.4
2005 2668 142.4 18.7 12.9
2006 2573 141.3 18.2 15.9
2007 2483 136.5 18.2 19.3
2008 2498 137.2 18.2 21.5
2009 2393 129.6 18.5 23.2
2010 2374 128.3 18.4 25.4
2011 2324 124.1 18.7 27.3
2012 2192 117.5 18.6 27.3
2013 2087 124.1 16.8 27.1
2014 2149 123.6 17.3 27.4
2015 2100 108.0 19.4 35.8
2016 2044 105.0 19.4 35.8
2017 2086 108.6 19.2 37.4
2018 2071 104.3 19.8 40.8
2019 2024 104.2 19.4 40.4
2020 2160 108.1 19.9 42
2021 2208 101.1 21.8 42.6
2022 2133 111.7 19.0 39.2
2023 2252 118.3 19.0 42.4
2024 2281 116.4 19.5 50.9

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 Smoky Hill High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2485 135.2 18.3 n/a
1989 2440 137.3 17.7 1.5
1990 2532 143.8 17.6 1.9
1991 2201 135.0 16.3 1.9
1992 2244 128.1 17.5 3
1993 2171 125.3 17.3 2.3
1994 2269 122.7 18.5 3.7
1995 2715 136.7 19.9 3.4
1996 2715 136.7 19.9 3.4
1997 2997 156.8 19.1 3.3
1998 3151 170.5 18.5 3.8
1999 3060 173.0 17.7 2.9
2000 2941 164.8 17.8 5.7
2001 2868 149.3 19.2 4.7
2002 2831 141.5 20.0 7.1
2003 2831 141.5 20.0 7.1
2004 2733 141.1 19.4 10.4
2005 2668 142.4 18.7 12.9
2006 2573 141.3 18.2 15.9
2007 2483 136.5 18.2 19.3
2008 2498 137.2 18.2 21.5
2009 2393 129.6 18.5 23.2
2010 2374 128.3 18.4 25.4
2011 2324 124.1 18.7 27.3
2012 2192 117.5 18.6 27.3
2013 2087 124.1 16.8 27.1
2014 2149 123.6 17.3 27.4
2015 2100 108.0 19.4 35.8
2016 2044 105.0 19.4 35.8
2017 2086 108.6 19.2 37.4
2018 2071 104.3 19.8 40.8
2019 2024 104.2 19.4 40.4
2020 2160 108.1 19.9 42
2021 2208 101.1 21.8 42.6
2022 2133 111.7 19.0 39.2
2023 2252 118.3 19.0 42.4
2024 2281 116.4 19.5 50.9

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 Smoky Hill High School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $12,241
2020 $12,145
2021 $11,408
2022 $13,590
2023 $14,227

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Smoky Hill 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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 151st of 411 High schoolsRanks 162nd of 349 High schools
 9.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students20242252
 11.3%
African American362389
 7.5%
American Indian1410
 28.6%
Asian154135
 12.3%
Hispanic490661
 34.9%
Pacific Islander714
 100%
White873856
 1.9%
Two or More Races124187
 50.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients40.4%42.4%
 2%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Smoky Hill High School

Smoky Hill High School ranks 172nd of 349 Colorado high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,281 students attended Smoky Hill High School.

Students at Smoky Hill High School are 36% White, 32% Hispanic, 17% African American, 9% Two or more races, 6% 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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