South High School

Summary:

South High School is a public high school in Denver, Colorado, serving 1,844 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the School District No. 1, which is ranked 78 out of 116 districts in Colorado and rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

South High School stands out for its diverse student population, with 47.89% White, 10.3% African American, 30.69% Hispanic, 4.5% Asian, 0.81% Native American, and 5.8% two or more races. Academically, the school has shown steady improvement, rising from the 276th to the 98th rank among Colorado high schools in the past decade. While White and disabled students perform relatively well, Asian, African American, and English Language Learner students lag behind their peers statewide. Additionally, around 40% of South High School students receive free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

Compared to nearby schools, South High School generally outperforms institutions like KIPP Denver Collegiate High School, Denver Justice High School, and Contemporary Learning Academy in academic metrics, but lags behind higher-performing schools like DSST: Cedar High School within the same district. The school's diversity and improvement over time suggest a commitment to providing a quality education, while the achievement gaps among student subgroups highlight the need for targeted interventions and support.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1700 East Louisiana Avenue
       Denver, CO  80210-1810


(720) 423-6000

District: School District No. 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
98th of 349 Colorado High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,860 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  20.0 Help
Number of students:  1,844

Racial breakdown:

White:
47.9%
Hispanic:
30.7%
African American:
10.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  39.5% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details South High School ranks better than 71.9% of high schools in Colorado. It also ranks 6th among 36 ranked high schools in the School District No. 1. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.34. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at South 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
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Compare Details South High School has the largest high school student body size in the School District No. 1.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at South High School is $15,860. 42 high schools in the School District No. 1 spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South High School:

SchoolDigger ranks South High School 98th of 349 Colorado public high schools. (See South 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:


School District No. 1:

SchoolDigger ranks School District No. 1 78th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for South High School

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Rank History for all students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 10.30 255th 279 8.6%
2005 9.84 252nd 280 10.0%
2006 11.86 258th 286 9.8%
2007 12.05 263rd 298 11.7%
2008 11.86 266th 301 11.6%
2009 11.15 275th 310 11.3%
2010 12.55 283rd 327 13.5%
2011 10.79 298th 337 11.6%
2012 13.30 284th 334 15.0%
2013 18.93 282nd 349 19.2%
2014 26.92 276th 369 25.2%
2015 28.42 205th 292 29.8%
2016 32.88 153rd 255 40.0%
2017 38.53 127th 256 50.4%
2018 44.78 201st 388 48.2%
2019 62.70 131st 411 68.1%
2021 45.10 113th 210 46.2%
2022 40.10 129th 221 41.6%
2023 61.57 126th 349 63.9%
2024 69.34 98th 349 71.9%
See the entire list of Colorado High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 9.50 46th 48 4.2%
2022 36.52 37th 56 33.9%
2023 57.10 28th 62 54.8%
2024 55.33 34th 61 44.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 27.77 14th 16 12.5%
2022 38.31 15th 32 53.1%
2023 33.31 26th 44 40.9%
2024 33.53 21st 36 41.7%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 32.58 44th 60 26.7%
2022 20.00 64th 77 16.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 34.39 130th 188 30.9%
2022 34.97 135th 203 33.5%
2023 28.96 148th 200 26.0%
2024 37.31 131st 211 37.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 59.95 92nd 239 61.5%
2022 58.96 101st 257 60.7%
2023 61.22 98th 254 61.4%
2024 67.61 80th 257 68.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 55.25 26th 74 64.9%
2024 56.96 24th 84 71.4%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 38.95 87th 118 26.3%
2023 57.48 67th 135 50.4%
2024 68.25 42nd 140 70.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 58.99 92nd 240 61.7%
2022 54.34 110th 253 56.5%
2023 55.30 109th 252 56.7%
2024 64.45 90th 256 64.8%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 0.38 41st 41 0.0%
2022 3.06 42nd 45 6.7%
2023 8.52 38th 43 11.6%
2024 14.41 39th 43 9.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 40.74 17th 29 41.4%
2022 33.83 23rd 34 32.4%
2023 25.42 26th 36 27.8%
2024 22.65 29th 38 23.7%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.95 95th 181 47.5%
2022 38.62 115th 205 43.9%
2023 38.05 116th 198 41.4%
2024 47.58 93rd 199 53.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 72.42 62nd 225 72.4%
2022 72.26 66th 228 71.1%
2023 72.14 66th 234 71.8%
2024 77.51 40th 229 82.5%
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.

South 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: 4)
0%

100%

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0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, August 19, 2023

Open Quote Very happy. Close Quote



Enrollment information for South High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 640 279 73 241 17 n/a n/a 0 1250
1989 587 232 75 197 14 n/a n/a 0 1105
1990 543 239 79 185 10 n/a n/a 0 1056
1991 554 244 75 178 15 n/a n/a 0 1066
1992 621 235 94 254 12 n/a n/a 0 1216
1993 700 260 107 270 18 n/a n/a 0 1355
1994 714 239 95 248 18 n/a n/a 0 1314
1995 613 241 100 268 13 n/a n/a 0 1235
1996 613 241 100 268 13 n/a n/a 0 1235
1997 651 258 111 312 13 n/a n/a 0 1345
1998 660 254 111 360 15 n/a n/a 0 1400
1999 644 269 138 463 14 n/a n/a 0 1528
2000 613 243 119 445 11 n/a n/a 0 1431
2001 556 279 115 506 15 n/a n/a 0 1471
2002 460 238 121 531 15 n/a n/a 0 1365
2003 460 238 121 531 15 n/a n/a 0 1365
2004 432 255 124 558 11 n/a n/a 0 1380
2005 409 257 136 523 9 n/a n/a 0 1334
2006 447 281 106 528 13 n/a n/a 0 1375
2007 454 307 97 653 17 n/a n/a 0 1528
2008 419 327 89 554 18 n/a n/a 0 1407
2009 419 313 104 524 16 n/a n/a 0 1376
2010 395 335 173 472 17 n/a n/a 0 1392
2011 322 297 219 474 7 2 38 0 1359
2012 303 315 231 425 6 1 32 0 1313
2013 329 302 238 402 8 2 35 0 1316
2014 343 330 223 420 11 2 41 0 1370
2015 376 337 182 446 14 2 46 0 1403
2016 418 363 175 533 18 3 55 0 1565
2017 446 344 141 581 18 6 59 0 1595
2018 519 278 136 570 19 7 76 0 1605
2019 614 236 118 524 16 4 65 0 1577
2020 733 211 113 493 16 6 64 0 1636
2021 785 205 96 540 17 2 77 0 1722
2022 836 167 87 573 16 1 91 0 1771
2023 883 190 83 566 15 0 107 0 1844

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 South High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1250 73.7 16.9 n/a
1989 1105 62.5 17.6 15
1990 1056 65.5 16.1 17.1
1991 1066 63.6 16.7 16.7
1992 1216 62.4 19.4 21
1993 1355 65.4 20.7 28.9
1994 1314 67.9 19.4 28.8
1995 1235 59.8 20.6 27.9
1996 1235 59.8 20.6 27.9
1997 1345 64.2 21.0 37.1
1998 1400 66.6 21.0 37.5
1999 1528 77.9 19.6 39.1
2000 1431 81.9 17.5 42.2
2001 1471 86.5 17.0 42.2
2002 1365 83.7 16.3 42.7
2003 1365 83.7 16.3 42.7
2004 1380 80.8 17.1 45.4
2005 1334 72.8 18.3 45.1
2006 1375 68.4 20.1 48.9
2007 1528 80.1 19.1 61.5
2008 1407 69.3 20.3 61.1
2009 1376 71.9 19.1 58.8
2010 1392 73.2 19.0 70.5
2011 1359 73.2 18.5 71.5
2012 1313 74.7 17.5 73.5
2013 1316 81.5 16.1 71
2014 1370 76.7 17.8 72.4
2015 1403 88.0 15.9 69.4
2016 1565 94.0 16.6 67.2
2017 1595 97.1 16.4 63.1
2018 1605 86.8 18.4 58.7
2019 1577 90.5 17.4 52.4
2020 1636 90.5 18.0 46
2021 1722 89.5 19.2 42.7
2022 1771 90.4 19.5 38.6
2023 1844 91.9 20.0 39.5

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 South High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1250 73.7 16.9 n/a
1989 1105 62.5 17.6 15
1990 1056 65.5 16.1 17.1
1991 1066 63.6 16.7 16.7
1992 1216 62.4 19.4 21
1993 1355 65.4 20.7 28.9
1994 1314 67.9 19.4 28.8
1995 1235 59.8 20.6 27.9
1996 1235 59.8 20.6 27.9
1997 1345 64.2 21.0 37.1
1998 1400 66.6 21.0 37.5
1999 1528 77.9 19.6 39.1
2000 1431 81.9 17.5 42.2
2001 1471 86.5 17.0 42.2
2002 1365 83.7 16.3 42.7
2003 1365 83.7 16.3 42.7
2004 1380 80.8 17.1 45.4
2005 1334 72.8 18.3 45.1
2006 1375 68.4 20.1 48.9
2007 1528 80.1 19.1 61.5
2008 1407 69.3 20.3 61.1
2009 1376 71.9 19.1 58.8
2010 1392 73.2 19.0 70.5
2011 1359 73.2 18.5 71.5
2012 1313 74.7 17.5 73.5
2013 1316 81.5 16.1 71
2014 1370 76.7 17.8 72.4
2015 1403 88.0 15.9 69.4
2016 1565 94.0 16.6 67.2
2017 1595 97.1 16.4 63.1
2018 1605 86.8 18.4 58.7
2019 1577 90.5 17.4 52.4
2020 1636 90.5 18.0 46
2021 1722 89.5 19.2 42.7
2022 1771 90.4 19.5 38.6
2023 1844 91.9 20.0 39.5

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 South High School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $12,553
2020 $12,481
2021 $12,543
2022 $13,304
2023 $15,860

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

Impact of COVID-19 on South 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 131st of 411 High schoolsRanks 126th of 349 High schools
 4.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students15771844
 16.9%
African American236190
 19.5%
American Indian1615
 6.3%
Asian11883
 29.7%
Hispanic524566
 8%
Pacific Islander40
 100%
White614883
 43.8%
Two or More Races65107
 64.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients52.4%39.5%
 12.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about South High School

Students at South High School are 48% White, 31% Hispanic, 10% African American, 6% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,844 students attended South High School.

South High School ranks 98th of 349 Colorado high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 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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