University Prep - Arapahoe St.

Summary:

University Prep - Arapahoe St. is a public charter elementary school serving 280 students in grades K-5 in Denver, Colorado, which is part of the School District No. 1.

Despite its small class sizes, University Prep - Arapahoe St. has consistently underperformed compared to the district and state averages on standardized tests. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates were significantly lower than the district and state in English Language Arts (15.3% vs. 40.7% and 44.1%) and Math (16% vs. 31.2% and 34.2%). The school's statewide ranking has also declined, dropping from a high of 261 out of 914 Colorado elementary schools in 2015-2016 to 862 out of 943 in 2023-2024. The school's performance on assessments for specific student subgroups, such as female and Hispanic students, has also been lower compared to state averages. With a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 83.24% to 92.14%, University Prep - Arapahoe St. serves a high concentration of economically disadvantaged students.

When compared to nearby schools, the data reveals some interesting insights. While Trevista at Horace Mann and Columbine Elementary School also underperform the district and state averages, they have higher proficiency rates on standardized assessments compared to University Prep - Arapahoe St. In contrast, Downtown Denver Expeditionary School, a public charter school, significantly outperforms University Prep - Arapahoe St. and the district/state averages, with proficiency rates above 50% in both English Language Arts and Math. The top-performing school in the area is Polaris Elementary School, which ranks 1st out of 943 Colorado elementary schools and achieves proficiency rates above 90% in both subjects.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-5

2409 Arapahoe Street
Denver, CO 80205-2614

(303) 292-0463

District: School District No. 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
862^nd of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,960

Students who attend University Prep - Arapahoe St. usually attend:

Middle:	DSST: Cole Middle School
	McAuliffe Manual Middle School
High:	East High School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.3

Number of students: 280

Racial breakdown:

African American:

52.1%

Hispanic:

31.8%

Two or more races:

8.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 92.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details University Prep - Arapahoe St. ranks worse than 91.4% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks 77^th among 94 ranked elementary schools in the School District No. 1. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.38. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 University Prep - Arapahoe St. has the largest elementary school student body size in the School District No. 1. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at University Prep - Arapahoe St. is $17,960. 57 elementary schools in the School District No. 1 spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

University Prep - Arapahoe St. was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

School District No. 1:

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

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for University Prep - Arapahoe St..

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Rank History for University Prep - Arapahoe St.

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Rank History for all students at University Prep - Arapahoe St.

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2014	45.26	550^th	962	42.8%
2015	48.98	434^th	938	53.7%
2016	68.44	261^st	914	71.4%
2017	50.96	410^th	929	55.9%
2018	51.68	402^nd	917	56.2%
2019	37.15	575^th	965	40.4%
2022	14.17	806^th	921	12.5%
2023	15.98	792^nd	933	15.1%
2024	11.38	862^nd	943	8.6%

See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at University Prep - Arapahoe St.

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	45.66	346^th	690	49.9%
2019	36.18	456^th	758	39.8%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at University Prep - Arapahoe St.

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	43.71	353^rd	693	49.1%
2019	36.24	464^th	764	39.3%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at University Prep - Arapahoe St.

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	85.58	18^th	270	93.3%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, January 28, 2015

It took me a while to come around, but now I'm a huge fan of University Prep. U Prep on the surface seems to be mostly about discipline and rigorous academic work. There's that, but what I've found it's really about, at least in my son (8) and daughter's (5) case, is having pride in yourself and what you can accomplish, believing that you can achieve great things with hard work and perseverance, and feeling like you're a part of a team and community. "Scholars" wear uniforms and are expected to be disciplined in their behavior which is monitored throughout the day. There are LOTS of tests and assessments. My son, however, loves getting the chance to "show what he knows" -- U prep phrase to give scholars encouragement. U Prep teachers are amazing. They work incredibly hard. They are devoted to the kids and are singularly obsessed with making our children the best they can be. The staff is awesome and David Singer, the Founder and Head of School, is a rock star - full of charisma and passion for what U Prep is trying to accomplish. Anyway, both my kids loves school, love their teachers and are doing great academically. To me, that's all that matters. Close Quote

Enrollment information for University Prep - Arapahoe St.

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2012	10	45	1	53	0	0	4	113
2013	19	70	1	86	1	0	10	187
2014	20	91	2	116	1	0	13	243
2015	25	113	2	142	1	0	14	297
2016	30	138	2	174	0	1	18	363
2017	23	157	1	160	0	0	18	359
2018	21	175	1	129	1	0	19	346
2019	21	185	1	124	1	0	19	351
2020	18	186	0	104	0	0	22	330
2021	22	195	2	112	1	1	31	364
2022	13	165	0	93	3	3	26	303
2023	14	146	1	89	5	1	24	280

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 University Prep - Arapahoe St.

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	113	11.6	9.6	81.4
2013	187	15.5	11.9	81.3
2014	243	22.6	10.7	81.5
2015	297	26.0	11.4	78.8
2016	363	37.0	9.8	81.8
2017	359	34.6	10.3	81.6
2018	346	34.3	10.0	81.2
2019	351	32.0	10.9	86
2020	330	26.2	12.5	84.8
2021	364	28.1	12.9	83.2
2022	303	28.3	10.6	84.5
2023	280	27.1	10.3	92.1

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 University Prep - Arapahoe St.

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	113	11.6	9.6	81.4
2013	187	15.5	11.9	81.3
2014	243	22.6	10.7	81.5
2015	297	26.0	11.4	78.8
2016	363	37.0	9.8	81.8
2017	359	34.6	10.3	81.6
2018	346	34.3	10.0	81.2
2019	351	32.0	10.9	86
2020	330	26.2	12.5	84.8
2021	364	28.1	12.9	83.2
2022	303	28.3	10.6	84.5
2023	280	27.1	10.3	92.1

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 University Prep - Arapahoe St.

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$11,852
2020	$13,977
2021	$13,499
2022	$18,377
2023	$17,960

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on University Prep - Arapahoe St.

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 575^th of 965 Elementary schools	Ranks 792^nd of 933 Elementary schools	25.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (University Prep - Arapahoe St.)	33.3	25.6	7.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (School District No. 1)	39.4	40.1	0.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	41.3	39.9	1.4%
3rd Grade Math (University Prep - Arapahoe St.)	38.6	21.4	17.2%
3rd Grade Math (School District No. 1)	37.5	36.4	1.1%
3rd Grade Math (Colorado)	41	40.4	0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (University Prep - Arapahoe St.)	47.6	13.3	34.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (School District No. 1)	43.6	40.6	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48	43.8	4.2%
4th Grade Math (University Prep - Arapahoe St.)	27	13.3	13.7%
4th Grade Math (School District No. 1)	31.2	29	2.2%
4th Grade Math (Colorado)	33.6	32.7	0.9%
5th Grade Science (University Prep - Arapahoe St.)	8.2	21.1	12.9%
5th Grade Science (School District No. 1)	25.9	26.2	0.3%
5th Grade Science (Colorado)	35.9	33.9	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (University Prep - Arapahoe St.)	44.3	30.6	13.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (School District No. 1)	42.3	41.2	1.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48.4	47.8	0.6%
5th Grade Math (University Prep - Arapahoe St.)	34.4	15.8	18.6%
5th Grade Math (School District No. 1)	34.9	33.2	1.7%
5th Grade Math (Colorado)	35.7	36.5	0.8%
All Grades English Language Arts (University Prep - Arapahoe St.)	42	22.5	19.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (School District No. 1)	42.8	40.3	2.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)	45.8	43.7	2.1%
All Grades Math (University Prep - Arapahoe St.)	33.1	16.8	16.3%
All Grades Math (School District No. 1)	32.7	30.3	2.4%
All Grades Math (Colorado)	34.7	32.9	1.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	351	280	20.2%
African American	185	146	21.1%
American Indian	1	5	400%
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	124	89	28.2%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	21	14	33.3%
Two or More Races	19	24	26.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	86%	92.1%	6.1%

Schools Near University Prep - Arapahoe St.

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				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	CMAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 5th 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 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math 6th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	Total
University Prep - Arapahoe St.	Public, Charter	K-5	2409 Arapahoe Street	Denver	80205	Denver County	School District No. 1	Yes	No	No	Yes	(303) 292-0463	280	27	10.3	92.1%	14 (5.0%)	146 (52.1%)	89 (31.8%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (1.8%)	1 (0.4%)	24 (8.6%)	11.4	862^nd of 943 public elementary schools	8.6%		16	792^nd of 933 public elementary schools	15.1%	70	15.6	11.3	20.5				15.3	12.1	23.1	10.0		16.0	12.8	$17,960
Polaris Elementary School	Public	1-5	410 Park Avenue West	Denver	80205	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(720) 424-7860	328	19	16.9	7.0%	207 (63.1%)	10 (3.0%)	36 (11.0%)	31 (9.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (13.1%)	99.6	1^st of 943 public elementary schools	99.9%		99.6	1^st of 933 public elementary schools	99.9%		95.0	93.0	98.7				95.6	91.4	87.8	94.9		91.4	93.4	$16,270
Downtown Denver Expeditionary School	Public, Charter	K-5	1860 Lincoln St	Denver	80203	Denver County	School District No. 1	Yes	No	No	No	(720) 424-2350	259	19	13.8	32.0%	143 (55.2%)	16 (6.2%)	75 (29.0%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (8.9%)	47.6	471^st of 943 public elementary schools	50.1%		47.4	462^nd of 933 public elementary schools	50.5%	9	43.5	41.0	52.1				45.9	58.7	25.6	32.0		39.3	24.5	$15,645
Whittier Ece-8 School	Public	PK, KG-8	2480 Downing Street	Denver	80205	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 424-3040	219	16	13.3	92.7%	12 (5.5%)	111 (50.7%)	77 (35.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (7.8%)								(n/a)			22.2	28.0	19.0		16.3					4.1		$19,385
Cole Arts and Science Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	1350 E 33rd Ave	Denver	80205	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 423-9120	255	21	12.0	87.5%	30 (11.8%)	38 (14.9%)	172 (67.5%)	2 (0.8%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.5%)	6.9	922^nd of 943 public elementary schools	2.2%		13.7	833^rd of 933 public elementary schools	10.7%	89	13.6	16.7	9.4				13.1					10.0		$20,786
Wyatt Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	3620 Franklin Street	Denver	80205	Denver County	School District No. 1	Yes	No	No	Yes	(303) 292-5515	191	13	14.4	89.0%	18 (9.4%)	43 (22.5%)	122 (63.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.0%)	5 (2.6%)								(n/a)	34.2						21.2					12.9		$14,223
French American School of Denver	Public, Charter	K-5	2350 N. Gaylord Street	Denver	80205	Denver County	School District No. 1	Yes	No	No	No	(720) 506-4589	143	11	13.1	14.7%	100 (69.9%)	14 (9.8%)	10 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (13.3%)	82.2	149^th of 943 public elementary schools	84.2%		44.8	478^th of 933 public elementary schools	48.8%	329	58.3	58.8	84.0				68.2	58.3	44.4	60.0		55.2	56.0	$13,930
Bryant Webster Dual Language Ece-8 School	Public	PK, KG-8	3635 Quivas St	Denver	80211	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 424-9170	357	23	15.3	70.3%	42 (11.8%)	0 (0.0%)	303 (84.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.4%)	32.1	586^th of 943 public elementary schools	37.9%		34	568^th of 933 public elementary schools	39.1%	18	50.0	50.0	32.1	20.6	55.2	17.9	35.8	25.0	34.3	26.7	15.8	19.2	29.6	$18,792
Garden Place Academy	Public	PK, KG-6	4425 Lincoln Street	Denver	80216	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 424-7220	393	25	16.0	91.3%	36 (9.2%)	32 (8.1%)	306 (77.9%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.5%)	9.9	885^th of 943 public elementary schools	6.2%					(n/a)	20.0	14.7	25.0				20.4	14.3	7.1	15.7		12.7	7.8	$18,637
Trevista at Horace Mann	Public	PK, KG-5	4130 Navajo Street	Denver	80211	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 423-9800	406	27	15.2	66.5%	88 (21.7%)	65 (16.0%)	230 (56.7%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	18 (4.4%)	12.4	845^th of 943 public elementary schools	10.4%		12.5	848^th of 933 public elementary schools	9.1%	3	15.0	19.6	34.2				22.6	13.3	10.4	15.8		13.0	13.2	$18,463

Frequently Asked Questions about University Prep - Arapahoe St.

What is the racial makeup of University Prep - Arapahoe St.?

Students at University Prep - Arapahoe St. are 52% African American, 32% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 5% White, 2% American Indian.

Is University Prep - Arapahoe St. a good school?

University Prep - Arapahoe St. ranks in the bottom 8.6% of Colorado elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of University Prep - Arapahoe St. attend?

Students who attend University Prep - Arapahoe St. usually go on to attend:

Middle : DSST: Cole Middle School
Middle : McAuliffe Manual Middle School
High : East High School

How many students attend University Prep - Arapahoe St.?

In the 2022-23 school year, 280 students attended University Prep - Arapahoe St..

What district is University Prep - Arapahoe St. in?

School District No. 1

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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.