Horizon Middle School

Summary:

Horizon Middle School is a public middle school in Aurora, Colorado, serving 812 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Cherry Creek School District No. 5, which is ranked 28 out of 116 school districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Horizon Middle School stands out for its diverse student population, with 32.76% White, 15.89% African American, 37.81% Hispanic, 3.94% Asian, and 9.11% two or more races. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by CMAS test scores, is significantly lower than the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, only 26.1% of Horizon Middle School students were proficient or better in CMAS English Language Arts, compared to 48.3% in the Cherry Creek School District and 44.1% statewide. The school's performance also varies among different student subgroups, with African American, White, and disabled students ranking in the bottom 25% of Colorado middle schools.

Horizon Middle School faces additional challenges, with 58.13% of its students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, significantly higher than nearby schools like Liberty Middle School (29.1%) and Falcon Creek Middle School (31.44%). The school's statewide ranking has also declined over the past several years, from 264 out of 418 Colorado middle schools in 2017-2018 to 381 out of 485 in 2023-2024. Despite these challenges, the data suggests that with targeted interventions and support, Horizon Middle School could potentially improve its academic outcomes and better serve its diverse student population.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 3981 South Reservoir Road
       Aurora, CO  80013-3804


(720) 886-6100

District: Cherry Creek School District No. 5

SchoolDigger Rank:
381st of 485 Colorado Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,636 Help


Students who attend Horizon Middle School usually attend:

High:    Eaglecrest High School

Feeder schools for Horizon Middle School:

Elementary:    Arrowhead Elementary School
    Cimarron Elementary School
    Summit Elementary School
    Sunrise Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.3 Help
Number of students:  732

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
36.9%
White:
31.3%
African American:
17.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  64.5% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Horizon Middle School ranks worse than 78.6% of middle schools in Colorado. It also ranks 10th among 11 ranked middle 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 18.8. (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
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Compare Details Student population at Horizon Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (36.9%), White (31.3%), African American (17.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 64.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Horizon Middle School is 14.3, which is the lowest among 12 middle schools in the Cherry Creek School District No. 5! (See more...)
Help
Compare Horizon Middle School employs 50.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Horizon Middle School is $14,636, which is the 5th highest among 11 middle schools in the Cherry Creek School District No. 5.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Horizon Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Horizon Middle School 381st of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Horizon Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male 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 Horizon Middle School?

Rank History for Horizon Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 52.95 159th 336 52.7%
2005 46.83 196th 340 42.4%
2006 46.18 203rd 346 41.3%
2007 44.99 214th 360 40.6%
2008 43.17 223rd 362 38.4%
2009 40.95 243rd 377 35.5%
2010 40.98 263rd 409 35.7%
2011 38.13 283rd 422 32.9%
2012 37.42 284th 425 33.2%
2013 38.56 300th 454 33.9%
2014 30.96 333rd 461 27.8%
2015 29.74 302nd 436 30.7%
2016 29.72 277th 400 30.8%
2017 30.73 289th 424 31.8%
2018 34.06 264th 418 36.8%
2019 27.59 320th 458 30.1%
2021 25.73 287th 369 22.2%
2022 17.17 371st 448 17.2%
2023 15.66 402nd 480 16.3%
2024 18.80 381st 485 21.4%
See the entire list of Colorado Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 10.63 31st 31 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.00 135th 222 39.2%
2019 33.34 162nd 240 32.5%
2022 25.19 155th 197 21.3%
2023 23.25 195th 241 19.1%
2024 27.09 186th 244 23.8%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.01 203rd 315 35.6%
2019 27.10 249th 352 29.3%
2022 13.06 289th 326 11.3%
2023 14.35 312th 363 14.0%
2024 13.79 306th 350 12.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 10.18 12th 12 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.36 76th 121 37.2%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.41 216th 317 31.9%
2019 25.02 246th 343 28.3%
2022 18.14 270th 328 17.7%
2023 14.15 312th 356 12.4%
2024 18.75 285th 357 20.2%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.95 11th 22 50.0%
2019 30.66 24th 33 27.3%
2022 13.50 19th 20 5.0%
2024 18.81 22nd 25 12.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.07 98th 165 40.6%
2019 29.82 158th 220 28.2%
2022 26.62 121st 169 28.4%
2023 22.50 158th 198 20.2%
2024 42.03 101st 199 49.2%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.92 144th 199 27.6%
2019 19.57 233rd 283 17.7%
2022 9.49 245th 265 7.5%
2023 8.21 270th 286 5.6%
2024 6.58 268th 273 1.8%
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.

Horizon Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Colorado Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Horizon Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 778 54 26 35 1 n/a n/a 0 894
1989 698 67 34 32 1 n/a n/a 0 832
1990 773 76 32 36 0 n/a n/a 0 917
1991 627 85 23 46 1 n/a n/a 0 782
1992 901 109 38 76 6 n/a n/a 0 1130
1993 1096 126 49 97 5 n/a n/a 0 1373
1994 1136 140 55 87 3 n/a n/a 0 1421
1995 1160 124 71 78 8 n/a n/a 0 1441
1996 1160 124 71 78 8 n/a n/a 0 1441
1997 1193 129 66 97 14 n/a n/a 0 1499
1998 1277 140 69 95 9 n/a n/a 0 1590
1999 1277 161 66 118 10 n/a n/a 0 1632
2000 1047 166 63 99 6 n/a n/a 0 1381
2001 979 154 59 109 7 n/a n/a 0 1308
2002 936 187 77 152 9 n/a n/a 0 1361
2003 936 187 77 152 9 n/a n/a 0 1361
2004 909 227 88 191 10 n/a n/a 0 1425
2005 886 252 95 217 14 n/a n/a 0 1464
2006 737 265 66 209 12 n/a n/a 0 1289
2007 677 252 66 198 9 n/a n/a 0 1202
2008 584 275 71 207 14 n/a n/a 0 1151
2009 526 247 62 212 11 n/a n/a 0 1058
2010 490 222 74 220 12 n/a n/a 0 1018
2011 435 186 52 231 9 5 50 0 968
2012 427 188 43 242 10 4 55 0 969
2013 403 196 37 273 9 3 70 0 991
2014 419 190 44 267 10 3 74 0 1007
2015 401 193 52 237 8 2 80 0 973
2016 421 191 42 261 12 0 71 0 998
2017 397 166 34 267 13 1 75 0 953
2018 407 164 25 285 9 4 64 0 958
2019 396 163 43 298 7 5 77 0 989
2020 357 166 48 330 6 4 72 0 983
2021 321 173 47 344 5 3 75 0 968
2022 294 141 29 315 3 7 70 0 859
2023 266 129 32 307 1 3 74 0 812
2024 229 127 25 270 4 3 74 0 732

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 Horizon Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 894 52.5 17.0 n/a
1989 832 45.3 18.3 4.3
1990 917 50.6 18.1 5.6
1991 782 48.5 16.1 7.5
1992 1130 62.6 18.0 7.4
1993 1373 76.4 18.0 7.5
1994 1421 83.3 17.1 7.5
1995 1441 78.9 18.3 6.1
1996 1441 78.9 18.3 6.1
1997 1499 83.5 18.0 6.3
1998 1590 97.0 16.4 8.2
1999 1632 97.7 16.7 6.7
2000 1381 79.6 17.3 13.5
2001 1308 79.3 16.5 13.5
2002 1361 79.8 17.1 18.3
2003 1361 79.8 17.1 18.3
2004 1425 83.4 17.1 20.8
2005 1464 84.0 17.4 24.2
2006 1289 77.6 16.6 30
2007 1202 70.6 17.0 34.1
2008 1151 68.9 16.7 37.1
2009 1058 66.6 15.9 38.3
2010 1018 62.1 16.3 42.8
2011 968 55.7 17.3 44.4
2012 969 54.5 17.7 45.6
2013 991 54.8 18.0 46.1
2014 1007 56.1 17.9 48.1
2015 973 57.0 17.0 55.4
2016 998 54.0 18.4 55.4
2017 953 56.8 16.7 55.4
2018 958 55.2 17.3 54.3
2019 989 56.8 17.4 53.4
2020 983 53.7 18.2 54.2
2021 968 49.9 19.3 55.9
2022 859 53.2 16.1 50.3
2023 812 48.1 16.8 58.1
2024 732 50.9 14.3 64.5

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 Horizon Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 894 52.5 17.0 n/a
1989 832 45.3 18.3 4.3
1990 917 50.6 18.1 5.6
1991 782 48.5 16.1 7.5
1992 1130 62.6 18.0 7.4
1993 1373 76.4 18.0 7.5
1994 1421 83.3 17.1 7.5
1995 1441 78.9 18.3 6.1
1996 1441 78.9 18.3 6.1
1997 1499 83.5 18.0 6.3
1998 1590 97.0 16.4 8.2
1999 1632 97.7 16.7 6.7
2000 1381 79.6 17.3 13.5
2001 1308 79.3 16.5 13.5
2002 1361 79.8 17.1 18.3
2003 1361 79.8 17.1 18.3
2004 1425 83.4 17.1 20.8
2005 1464 84.0 17.4 24.2
2006 1289 77.6 16.6 30
2007 1202 70.6 17.0 34.1
2008 1151 68.9 16.7 37.1
2009 1058 66.6 15.9 38.3
2010 1018 62.1 16.3 42.8
2011 968 55.7 17.3 44.4
2012 969 54.5 17.7 45.6
2013 991 54.8 18.0 46.1
2014 1007 56.1 17.9 48.1
2015 973 57.0 17.0 55.4
2016 998 54.0 18.4 55.4
2017 953 56.8 16.7 55.4
2018 958 55.2 17.3 54.3
2019 989 56.8 17.4 53.4
2020 983 53.7 18.2 54.2
2021 968 49.9 19.3 55.9
2022 859 53.2 16.1 50.3
2023 812 48.1 16.8 58.1
2024 732 50.9 14.3 64.5

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 Horizon Middle School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $11,339
2020 $11,826
2021 $11,256
2022 $14,016
2023 $14,636

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Horizon 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 320th of 458 Middle schoolsRanks 402nd of 480 Middle schools
 13.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Horizon Middle School)30.218.3
 11.9%
   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 (Horizon Middle School)174.9
 12.1%
   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 (Horizon Middle School)41.427
 14.4%
   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 (Horizon Middle School)27.49.2
 18.2%
   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 (Horizon Middle School)17.320.1
 2.8%
   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 (Horizon Middle School)38.423.2
 15.2%
   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 (Horizon Middle School)21.715.1
 6.6%
   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 (Horizon Middle School)36.322.6
 13.7%
   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 (Horizon Middle School)21.79.5
 12.2%
   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 Students989812
 17.9%
African American163129
 20.9%
American Indian71
 85.7%
Asian4332
 25.6%
Hispanic298307
 3%
Pacific Islander53
 40%
White396266
 32.8%
Two or More Races7774
 3.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients53.4%58.1%
 4.7%


Schools Near Horizon Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Horizon Middle School

Horizon Middle School ranks in the bottom 21.4% of Colorado middle schools.

Students at Horizon Middle School are 37% Hispanic, 31% White, 17% African American, 10% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Students who attend Horizon Middle School usually go on to attend Eaglecrest High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 732 students attended Horizon Middle School.


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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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