Vista Academy

Summary:

Vista Academy is a public high school serving grades 6-12 in Denver, Colorado, with a student population of 234. The school is part of School District No. 1, which is ranked 78 out of 116 districts in Colorado and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. Vista Academy has a predominantly Hispanic student population, with 68.8% Hispanic students in the 2022-2023 school year.

Vista Academy consistently ranks among the lowest-performing high schools in Colorado, ranking 347 out of 349 high schools in the state for the 2023-2024 school year. Its academic performance is significantly below the state and district averages across various standardized tests, including SAT, PSAT, and CMAS. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 8% of 11th-grade students at Vista Academy were proficient or better in SAT Reading and Writing, compared to 47% in the district and 58% statewide. Additionally, Vista Academy has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, with 82.05% of students qualifying in the 2022-2023 school year, which is significantly higher than the district and state averages.

Interestingly, the nearby schools, such as Northeast Early College, Montbello High School, and Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Early College, also serve predominantly minority and economically disadvantaged student populations, but generally outperform Vista Academy academically. This suggests that factors beyond just student demographics may be contributing to Vista Academy's poor performance. Additionally, Vista Academy has seen a decline in its White student population, from 4.85% in 2020-2021 to 2.14% in 2022-2023, a trend mirrored in the nearby schools.

Detail:

Public 6-12

4800 Telluride Street Bldg. 6
Denver, CO 80249-6803

(720) 423-7650

District: School District No. 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
347^th of 349 Colorado High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,819

Student/teacher ratio: 14.8

Number of students: 273

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

76.9%

African American:

16.5%

White:

2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 83.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Vista Academy is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2014 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.89. (See more...)

Compare Details Vista Academy ranks worse than 99.4% of high schools in Colorado. It also ranks 35^th among 36 ranked high schools in the School District No. 1. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 2.4. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Vista Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (76.9%), African American (16.5%), two or more races (2.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 83.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Vista Academy is 14.8. 35 high schools in the School District No. 1 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Vista Academy employs 18.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Vista Academy is $19,819, which is the 22^nd highest among 36 high schools in the School District No. 1.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Vista Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Vista Academy 347^th of 349 Colorado public high schools. (See Vista Academy in the ranking list.)

School District No. 1:

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

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Rank History for Vista Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2014	10.89	423^rd	461	8.2%

See the entire list of Colorado High School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Vista Academy

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Rank History for all high school students at Vista Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2014	11.38	322^nd	369	12.7%
2015	10.60	279^th	292	4.5%
2018	5.98	364^th	388	6.2%
2019	5.18	392^nd	411	4.6%
2023	2.74	345^th	349	1.1%
2024	2.40	347^th	349	0.6%

See the entire list of Colorado High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Vista Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	3.59	197^th	198	0.5%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Hispanic 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.

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Vista Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2012	9	41	6	134	1	2	7	200
2013	11	45	6	152	1	1	8	224
2014	11	56	4	148	0	2	8	229
2015	14	61	2	172	0	1	7	257
2016	15	72	3	186	1	1	7	285
2017	17	77	3	210	2	1	6	316
2018	9	63	2	205	4	1	5	289
2019	14	64	1	201	0	1	6	287
2020	13	66	1	210	2	1	4	297
2021	10	53	1	140	1	0	1	206
2022	9	55	1	140	0	1	5	211
2023	5	57	4	161	0	1	6	234
2024	6	45	3	210	0	3	6	273

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 Vista Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	200	16.9	11.7	76
2013	224	16.3	13.6	81.3
2014	229	19.9	11.4	84.3
2015	257	14.0	18.3	77.8
2016	285	20.0	14.2	74.4
2017	316	18.0	17.5	70.9
2018	289	21.2	13.6	73.7
2019	287	19.6	14.6	70
2020	297	19.5	15.1	69.7
2021	206	20.6	9.9	59.2
2022	211	15.5	13.5	73
2023	234	14.3	16.3	82.1
2024	273	18.3	14.8	83.5

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 Vista Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	200	16.9	11.7	76
2013	224	16.3	13.6	81.3
2014	229	19.9	11.4	84.3
2015	257	14.0	18.3	77.8
2016	285	20.0	14.2	74.4
2017	316	18.0	17.5	70.9
2018	289	21.2	13.6	73.7
2019	287	19.6	14.6	70
2020	297	19.5	15.1	69.7
2021	206	20.6	9.9	59.2
2022	211	15.5	13.5	73
2023	234	14.3	16.3	82.1
2024	273	18.3	14.8	83.5

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 Vista Academy

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$13,918
2020	$14,407
2021	$18,994
2022	$18,928
2023	$19,819

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Vista Academy

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 392^nd of 411 High schools	Ranks 345^th of 349 High schools	3.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	287	234	18.5%
African American	64	57	10.9%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	1	4	300%
Hispanic	201	161	19.9%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	14	5	64.3%
Two or More Races	6	6
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	70%	82.1%	12%

Schools Near Vista Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSAT10 Reading and Writing (2024)	PSAT10 Mathematics (2024)	PSAT9 Reading and Writing (2024)	PSAT9 Mathematics (2024)	SAT Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	CMAS English Language Arts (2024)				CMAS Math (2024)		CMAS Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT10 Reading and Writing 10th Grade	PSAT10 Mathematics 10th Grade	PSAT9 Reading and Writing 9th Grade	PSAT9 Mathematics 9th Grade	SAT Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 8th Grade	CMAS Science 11th Grade	Total
Vista Academy	Public	6-12	4800 Telluride Street Bldg. 6	Denver	80249	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 423-7650	273	18	14.8	83.5%	6 (2.2%)	45 (16.5%)	210 (76.9%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	6 (2.2%)	2.4	347^th of 349 public high schools	0.6%		2.7	345^th of 349 public high schools	1.1%	2	15.0		17.0	10.0	8.0										$19,819
DSST: Green Valley Ranch High School	Public, Charter	9-12	4800 Telluride Street #2	Denver	80249	Denver County	School District No. 1	Yes	No	No	Yes	(303) 524-6300	565	48	11.6	76.1%	11 (1.9%)	152 (26.9%)	323 (57.2%)	53 (9.4%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.4%)	17 (3.0%)	54.1	146^th of 349 public high schools	58.2%		51.1	154^th of 349 public high schools	55.9%	8	56.0	39.0	67.0	50.0	58.0	41.0								17.7	$16,275
KIPP Northeast Denver Leadership Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	18250 East 51st Avenue	Denver	80249	Denver County	School District No. 1	Yes	No	No	Yes	(720) 452-2570	559	39	14.5	68.0%	12 (2.1%)	84 (15.0%)	383 (68.5%)	51 (9.1%)	1 (0.2%)	13 (2.3%)	14 (2.5%)	13.3	303^rd of 349 public high schools	13.2%		11.8	307^th of 349 public high schools	12.0%	4	29.0	19.0	29.0	19.0	30.0	16.0								12.3	$15,472
Rocky Mountain Prep RISE	Public, Charter	9-12	18250 East 51st Avenue	Denver	80249	Denver County	School District No. 1	Yes	No	No	Yes	(720) 485-6393	565	44	12.9	81.6%	29 (5.1%)	82 (14.5%)	397 (70.3%)	28 (5.0%)	2 (0.4%)	9 (1.6%)	16 (2.8%)	19.9	281^st of 349 public high schools	19.5%		14.4	297^th of 349 public high schools	14.9%	16	50.0	18.0	53.0	20.0	33.0	13.0								7.5	$16,508
Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Early College	Public	6-12	19535 East 46th Avenue	Denver	80249	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 424-0420	1,022	68	14.9	83.0%	47 (4.6%)	222 (21.7%)	598 (58.5%)	80 (7.8%)	3 (0.3%)	29 (2.8%)	42 (4.1%)	10.8	313^th of 349 public high schools	10.3%		9.2	318^th of 349 public high schools	8.9%	5	43.0	12.0	33.0	10.0	31.0	10.0	4.8	26.3	28.7	21.4	9.1	6.5	10.1	8.3	$18,008
Montbello Career and Technical High School	Public	9-12	4501 Airport Way	Denver	80239	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 423-7200	133	9	14.6	68.4%	3 (2.3%)	24 (18.0%)	87 (65.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (8.3%)	8 (6.0%)								(n/a)															$28,088
Legacy Options High School	Public	9-12	6850 North Argonne Street	Denver	80249	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 424-3100	152	14	10.9	80.9%	5 (3.3%)	33 (21.7%)	102 (67.1%)	3 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.0%)	6 (3.9%)	3.5	346^th of 349 public high schools	0.9%		3.2	343^rd of 349 public high schools	1.7%	3	25.0				17.0										$23,993
Montbello High School	Public	9-12	5000 Crown Blvd	Denver	80239	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 423-5900	1,095	64	17.0	87.0%	22 (2.0%)	172 (15.7%)	804 (73.4%)	22 (2.0%)	3 (0.3%)	48 (4.4%)	22 (2.0%)	7.1	330^th of 349 public high schools	5.4%		3.9	339^th of 349 public high schools	2.9%	9	27.0	8.0	32.0	17.0	17.0	5.0								3.0	$16,203
Hinkley High School	Public	9-12	1250 Chambers Road	Aurora	80011	Arapahoe County	Aurora Joint District No. 28	No	No	No	No	(303) 340-1500	1,584	78	20.3	87.9%	59 (3.7%)	185 (11.7%)	1,203 (75.9%)	56 (3.5%)	15 (0.9%)	35 (2.2%)	31 (2.0%)	7.1	329^th of 349 public high schools	5.7%		6.7	326^th of 349 public high schools	6.6%	3	29.0	11.0	28.0	14.0	20.0	4.0								4.5	$17,530
Northeast Early College	Public	9-12	11200 E 45th Ave	Denver	80239	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 424-2450	572	32	17.8	83.9%	21 (3.7%)	66 (11.5%)	443 (77.4%)	7 (1.2%)	3 (0.5%)	15 (2.6%)	17 (3.0%)	7.8	324^th of 349 public high schools	7.2%		9.3	317^th of 349 public high schools	9.2%	7	36.0	9.0	24.0	7.0	23.0	9.0								10.3	$16,365

Frequently Asked Questions about Vista Academy

What district is Vista Academy in?

School District No. 1

How many students attend Vista Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 273 students attended Vista Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Vista Academy?

Students at Vista Academy are 77% Hispanic, 16% African American, 2% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander.

Is Vista Academy a good school?

Vista Academy ranks in the bottom 0.6% of Colorado high schools.

Rate Vista Academy!

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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.