Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

Summary:

Rocky Mountain Prep SMART is a public charter high school in Denver, Colorado, serving 540 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the School District No. 1, which is ranked 78 out of 116 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Rocky Mountain Prep SMART has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students (95.19%) compared to nearby schools, it consistently underperforms the district and state averages on standardized tests. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 14% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in SAT Mathematics, compared to 28% for the district and 31% for the state. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Colorado high schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Its performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as English Language Learners and Gifted and Talented students.

Despite being located in the same district as several other high schools, such as DSST: College View High School and KIPP Denver Collegiate High School, which have higher academic achievement and better school rankings, Rocky Mountain Prep SMART has not shown significant improvement in its performance over time. The school's high percentage of students from low-income families, with over 90% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, likely contributes to its academic struggles, and the school may need to implement more targeted interventions and support systems to address the unique needs of its diverse student population.

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

3201 W. Arizona Ave
Denver, CO 80219-3941

(303) 962-9880

District: School District No. 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
274^th of 349 Colorado High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,411

Student/teacher ratio: 9.7

Number of students: 540

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

95.2%

Asian:

2.2%

White:

1.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 90.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Rocky Mountain Prep SMART ranks worse than 78.5% of high schools in Colorado. It also ranks 18^th among 36 ranked high schools in the School District No. 1. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.23. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Rocky Mountain Prep SMART 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 Rocky Mountain Prep SMART has the largest high 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 Rocky Mountain Prep SMART is $16,411. 37 high schools in the School District No. 1 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Rocky Mountain Prep SMART:

SchoolDigger ranks Rocky Mountain Prep SMART 274^th of 349 Colorado public high schools. (See Rocky Mountain Prep SMART in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

School District No. 1:

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

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

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Rank History for all students at Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2015	43.63	132^nd	292	54.8%
2016	18.33	203^rd	255	20.4%
2017	15.59	218^th	256	14.8%
2018	22.23	288^th	388	25.8%
2019	22.10	309^th	411	24.8%
2023	9.32	316^th	349	9.5%
2024	21.23	274^th	349	21.5%

See the entire list of Colorado High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	17.57	16^th	16	0.0%
2022	25.04	26^th	32	18.8%
2023	25.54	33^rd	44	25.0%
2024	23.73	30^th	36	16.7%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	28.01	142^nd	188	24.5%
2023	14.90	181^st	200	9.5%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	8.14	224^th	239	6.3%
2022	10.78	225^th	257	12.5%
2023	11.70	228^th	254	10.2%
2024	23.53	190^th	257	26.1%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	0.01	117^th	118	0.8%
2024	38.32	106^th	140	24.3%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	7.74	223^rd	240	7.1%
2022	5.90	242^nd	253	4.3%
2023	6.68	240^th	252	4.8%
2024	17.13	211^th	256	17.6%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	14.30	162^nd	181	10.5%
2023	14.72	175^th	198	11.6%
2024	44.96	100^th	199	49.7%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

by a citizen
Monday, September 20, 2021

Very glad to have a STRIVE Prep school in Southwest Denver that offers thorough academic experience and focuses on preparing students for college. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2013	1	0	1	164	0	1	0	167
2014	6	1	3	307	1	1	0	319
2015	6	1	3	437	2	1	0	450
2016	4	1	5	488	2	1	0	501
2017	6	1	5	458	3	0	0	473
2018	3	2	5	473	3	1	0	487
2019	3	1	6	476	1	2	0	489
2020	4	0	4	473	1	2	0	484
2021	6	0	6	530	0	2	1	545
2022	7	1	8	493	0	0	1	510
2023	9	0	12	514	1	2	2	540

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 Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	167	8.2	20.1	87.4
2014	319	8.5	37.2	89.7
2015	450	24.0	18.7	84.9
2016	501	33.0	15.1	86
2017	473	38.3	12.3	90.7
2018	487	45.5	10.6	92.6
2019	489	48.6	10.0	91.4
2020	484	49.4	9.7	91.7
2021	545	56.9	9.5	94.5
2022	510	59.1	8.6	89
2023	540	55.5	9.7	90.9

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 Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	167	8.2	20.1	87.4
2014	319	8.5	37.2	89.7
2015	450	24.0	18.7	84.9
2016	501	33.0	15.1	86
2017	473	38.3	12.3	90.7
2018	487	45.5	10.6	92.6
2019	489	48.6	10.0	91.4
2020	484	49.4	9.7	91.7
2021	545	56.9	9.5	94.5
2022	510	59.1	8.6	89
2023	540	55.5	9.7	90.9

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 Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,790
2020	$10,847
2021	$11,366
2022	$14,158
2023	$16,411

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

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 309^th of 411 High schools	Ranks 316^th of 349 High schools	15.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	489	540	10.4%
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	6	12	100%
Hispanic	476	514	8%
Pacific Islander	2	2
White	3	9	200%
Two or More Races	0	2
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	91.4%	90.9%	0.5%

Schools Near Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

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 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 11th Grade	Total
Rocky Mountain Prep SMART	Public, Charter	9-12	3201 W. Arizona Ave	Denver	80219	Denver County	School District No. 1	Yes	No	No	Yes	(303) 962-9880	540	56	9.7	90.9%	9 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	514 (95.2%)	12 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	21.2	274^th of 349 public high schools	21.5%		9.3	316^th of 349 public high schools	9.5%	42	44.0	29.0	50.0	24.0	29.0	14.0				5.5	$16,411
Excel Academy	Public	9-12	1825 S. Federal Blvd.	Denver	80219	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 424-2250	261	13	20.0	82.0%	8 (3.1%)	5 (1.9%)	235 (90.0%)	5 (1.9%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.9%)	0.8	349^th of 349 public high schools	0.0%		3.1	344^th of 349 public high schools	1.4%	5	12.0		20.0								$18,592
KIPP Denver Collegiate High School	Public, Charter	9-12	451 South Tejon Street	Denver	80223	Denver County	School District No. 1	Yes	No	No	Yes	(303) 922-5324	477	42	11.3	90.8%	3 (0.6%)	8 (1.7%)	452 (94.8%)	4 (0.8%)	4 (0.8%)	2 (0.4%)	4 (0.8%)	16.4	293^rd of 349 public high schools	16.0%		14.3	299^th of 349 public high schools	14.3%	6	36.0	24.0	25.0	12.0	41.0	24.0				7.1	$17,137
Abraham Lincoln High School	Public	9-12	2285 South Federal Boulevard	Denver	80219	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 423-5000	986	66	14.9	90.9%	39 (4.0%)	61 (6.2%)	843 (85.5%)	28 (2.8%)	5 (0.5%)	3 (0.3%)	7 (0.7%)	4.9	342^nd of 349 public high schools	2.0%		4	338^th of 349 public high schools	3.2%	4	16.0	4.0	31.0	8.0	13.0	5.0				2.3	$19,291
Respect Academy	Public	9-12	2285 South Federal Blvd	Denver	80219	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 423-5228	89	6	13.8	91.0%	3 (3.4%)	3 (3.4%)	79 (88.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.4%)								(n/a)											$22,417
5280 High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1200 W Mississippi Ave	Denver	80223	Denver County	School District No. 1	Yes	No	No	Yes	(720) 919-1056	104	7	15.3	37.5%	66 (63.5%)	7 (6.7%)	24 (23.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.8%)	6.1	332^nd of 349 public high schools	4.9%		13.8	303^rd of 349 public high schools	13.2%	29	33.0				21.0						$20,362
Brady Exploration School	Public	9-12	5220 W. Ohio Avenue	Lakewood	80226	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	No	(303) 982-6722	304	17	17.8	69.1%	121 (39.8%)	5 (1.6%)	164 (53.9%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.0%)	5.1	340^th of 349 public high schools	2.6%					(n/a)	22.0				23.0						$17,693
Florence Crittenton High School	Public	9-12	55 South Zuni	Denver	80223	Denver County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 423-7900	89	13	7.1	94.4%	3 (3.4%)	12 (13.5%)	71 (79.8%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.2%)								(n/a)											$31,399
Summit Academy	Public	6-12	5590 W Evans Ave.	Denver	80227	Jefferson County	School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 424-2400	220	22	9.9	90.0%	8 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	211 (95.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4.1	345^th of 349 public high schools	1.1%		3.4	342^nd of 349 public high schools	2.0%	3	12.0		24.0	12.0			11.5	12.7	5.5		$21,971
New America School	Public, Charter	9-12	5806 W Alameda Ave	Lakewood	80226	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	Yes	No	No	Yes	(303) 894-3171	99	4	27.0	85.9%	5 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	93 (93.9%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)											$15,282

Frequently Asked Questions about Rocky Mountain Prep SMART

Is Rocky Mountain Prep SMART a good school?

Rocky Mountain Prep SMART ranks in the bottom 21.5% of Colorado high schools.

How many students attend Rocky Mountain Prep SMART?

In the 2022-23 school year, 540 students attended Rocky Mountain Prep SMART.

What district is Rocky Mountain Prep SMART in?

School District No. 1

What is the racial makeup of Rocky Mountain Prep SMART?

Students at Rocky Mountain Prep SMART are 95% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 2% White.

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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.