Platte River Charter Academy

Summary:

Platte River Charter Academy is a highly-rated public charter elementary and middle school serving grades PK-8 in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. As part of the Douglas County School District No. Re 1, which is ranked 5 out of 116 districts in Colorado, Platte River Charter Academy has consistently been among the top-performing elementary schools in the state.

Platte River Charter Academy's academic performance is exceptional, with students significantly outperforming the district and state averages in proficiency across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 78% of Platte River students were proficient or better in CMAS/English Language Arts, compared to 62.3% for the district and 44.1% for the state. In CMAS/Math, 73.9% of Platte River students were proficient or better, compared to 52.3% for the district and 34.2% for the state. The school has maintained this high level of academic achievement, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past 10 school years.

Platte River Charter Academy's performance is notably higher than the nearby public elementary schools in the Douglas County School District, such as Heritage Elementary, Fox Creek Elementary, and Cougar Run Elementary. Additionally, the school has maintained a relatively low student-teacher ratio, which may contribute to its ability to provide more individualized attention and support to its students.


Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-8

 4085 Lark Sparrow St.
       Highlands Ranch, CO  80126-5209


(303) 221-1070

District: Douglas County School District No. Re 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
49th of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,676 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  16.7 Help
Number of students:  477

Racial breakdown:

White:
69.0%
Asian:
13.4%
Two or more races:
8.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  1.4% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Platte River Charter Academy ranks better than 94.8% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks 7th among 58 ranked elementary schools in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.71. (See more...)
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Compare Details Platte River Charter Academy ranks better than 97.5% of middle schools in Colorado. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.81. (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
Help
Compare Details Platte River Charter Academy has the largest elementary school student body size in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Platte River Charter Academy is $9,676. 56 elementary schools in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1 spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Platte River Charter Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Platte River Charter Academy 49th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Platte River Charter Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Platte River Charter Academy 12th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Platte River Charter Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Douglas County School District No. Re 1:

SchoolDigger ranks Douglas County School District No. Re 1 5th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Platte River Charter Academy?

Rank History for Platte River Charter Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Platte River Charter Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 87.73 62nd 808 92.3%
2005 87.24 69th 823 91.6%
2006 87.85 59th 829 92.9%
2007 93.09 20th 852 97.7%
2008 91.94 31st 849 96.3%
2009 90.59 40th 872 95.4%
2010 92.62 30th 925 96.8%
2011 91.32 41st 935 95.6%
2012 92.36 27th 935 97.1%
2013 92.83 32nd 954 96.6%
2014 92.19 37th 962 96.2%
2015 87.92 87th 938 90.7%
2016 89.17 74th 914 91.9%
2017 89.95 70th 929 92.5%
2018 91.34 58th 917 93.7%
2019 90.64 65th 965 93.3%
2021 88.51 70th 710 90.1%
2022 90.90 60th 921 93.5%
2023 92.37 54th 933 94.2%
2024 92.71 49th 943 94.8%
See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Platte River Charter Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.40 47th 690 93.2%
2019 89.13 48th 758 93.7%
2021 81.13 68th 351 80.6%
2022 83.07 79th 595 86.7%
2023 87.51 51st 642 92.1%
2024 82.00 98th 684 85.7%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Platte River Charter Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.39 84th 693 87.9%
2019 83.83 92nd 764 88.0%
2021 80.67 71st 352 79.8%
2022 86.93 60th 594 89.9%
2023 87.87 62nd 649 90.4%
2024 94.35 21st 683 96.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Platte River Charter Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 77.18 98th 596 83.6%
2021 69.71 94th 288 67.4%
2022 70.54 121st 454 73.3%
2023 74.94 107th 525 79.6%
2024 72.66 116th 539 78.5%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Platte River Charter Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Platte River Charter Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 79.47 55th 336 83.6%
2005 85.30 34th 340 90.0%
2006 84.71 42nd 346 87.9%
2007 94.28 10th 360 97.2%
2008 94.49 9th 362 97.5%
2009 93.73 12th 377 96.8%
2010 94.49 9th 409 97.8%
2011 94.26 14th 422 96.7%
2012 92.51 19th 425 95.5%
2013 91.89 22nd 454 95.2%
2014 91.09 25th 461 94.6%
2015 92.97 23rd 436 94.7%
2016 95.38 13th 400 96.8%
2017 92.81 19th 424 95.5%
2018 93.38 19th 418 95.5%
2019 95.58 16th 458 96.5%
2021 92.21 24th 369 93.5%
2022 94.47 20th 448 95.5%
2023 94.07 22nd 480 95.4%
2024 96.81 12th 485 97.5%
See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Platte River Charter Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 91.86 19th 315 94.0%
2019 94.75 12th 352 96.6%
2021 94.22 12th 254 95.3%
2022 92.36 17th 326 94.8%
2023 94.18 11th 363 97.0%
2024 94.64 12th 350 96.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Platte River Charter Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 91.51 17th 317 94.6%
2019 93.37 19th 343 94.5%
2021 78.99 40th 249 83.9%
2022 90.09 22nd 328 93.3%
2023 87.24 36th 356 89.9%
2024 95.82 13th 357 96.4%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Platte River Charter Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 85.68 26th 283 90.8%
2021 82.20 26th 203 87.2%
2022 83.70 34th 265 87.2%
2023 83.53 34th 286 88.1%
2024 88.80 18th 273 93.4%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary 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.

Platte River Charter Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Open Quote Unbelievably good school. Excellent administrators. Exceedingly committed and caring teachers. PRA handled COVID better than I ever could have imagined. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Platte River Charter Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1998 242 7 19 12 0 n/a n/a 0 280
1999 321 7 20 11 0 n/a n/a 0 359
2000 345 6 22 10 1 n/a n/a 0 384
2001 364 2 16 13 1 n/a n/a 0 396
2002 373 6 27 18 1 n/a n/a 0 425
2003 373 6 27 18 1 n/a n/a 0 425
2004 408 11 26 25 1 n/a n/a 0 471
2005 466 9 32 14 1 n/a n/a 0 522
2006 455 10 32 18 0 n/a n/a 0 515
2007 459 8 32 16 1 n/a n/a 0 516
2008 445 8 38 16 0 n/a n/a 0 507
2009 428 13 46 20 1 n/a n/a 0 508
2010 428 10 46 20 3 n/a n/a 0 507
2011 414 3 37 33 2 0 31 0 520
2012 402 4 30 43 3 0 32 0 514
2013 448 4 30 55 4 0 33 0 574
2014 455 2 35 54 4 0 30 0 580
2015 449 4 28 63 5 0 25 0 574
2016 471 6 43 60 2 0 25 0 607
2017 474 5 42 61 3 1 24 0 610
2018 468 11 40 50 5 0 26 0 600
2019 439 10 47 50 5 0 23 0 574
2020 430 11 49 47 2 0 26 0 565
2021 399 9 50 49 6 0 29 0 542
2022 329 6 62 37 0 0 39 0 473
2023 329 4 64 35 3 0 42 0 477

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 Platte River Charter Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 280 10.7 26.2 0
1999 359 19.6 18.3 0
2000 384 22.6 17.0 0
2001 396 25.6 15.5 0
2002 425 26.9 15.8 0
2003 425 26.9 15.8 0
2004 471 22.0 21.4 0.2
2005 522 27.3 19.1 0
2006 515 26.3 19.6 0
2007 516 27.0 19.1 0
2008 507 27.3 18.6 n/a
2009 508 29.3 17.3 0
2010 507 28.0 18.1 0
2011 520 26.3 19.7 0
2012 514 23.2 22.1 0.8
2013 574 28.6 20.0 4.5
2014 580 26.9 21.4 2.1
2015 574 28.0 20.5 0.5
2016 607 29.0 20.9 0.5
2017 610 30.3 20.0 0.5
2018 600 26.9 22.2 0.5
2019 574 27.9 20.5 1
2020 565 28.7 19.6 1.4
2021 542 28.0 19.3 n/a
2022 473 27.7 17.0 n/a
2023 477 28.5 16.7 n/a

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 Platte River Charter Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 280 10.7 26.2 0
1999 359 19.6 18.3 0
2000 384 22.6 17.0 0
2001 396 25.6 15.5 0
2002 425 26.9 15.8 0
2003 425 26.9 15.8 0
2004 471 22.0 21.4 0.2
2005 522 27.3 19.1 0
2006 515 26.3 19.6 0
2007 516 27.0 19.1 0
2008 507 27.3 18.6 n/a
2009 508 29.3 17.3 0
2010 507 28.0 18.1 0
2011 520 26.3 19.7 0
2012 514 23.2 22.1 0.8
2013 574 28.6 20.0 4.5
2014 580 26.9 21.4 2.1
2015 574 28.0 20.5 0.5
2016 607 29.0 20.9 0.5
2017 610 30.3 20.0 0.5
2018 600 26.9 22.2 0.5
2019 574 27.9 20.5 1
2020 565 28.7 19.6 1.4
2021 542 28.0 19.3 n/a
2022 473 27.7 17.0 n/a
2023 477 28.5 16.7 n/a

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 Platte River Charter Academy

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $7,421
2020 $8,299
2021 $9,491
2022 $10,498
2023 $9,676

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Platte River Charter 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 65th of 965 Elementary schoolsRanks 54th of 933 Elementary schools
 0.9%
Ranks 16th of 458 Middle schoolsRanks 22nd of 480 Middle schools
 1.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Platte River Charter Academy)84.686.5
 1.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)5258
 6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)41.339.9
 1.4%
3rd Grade Math (Platte River Charter Academy)71.290.2
 19%
   3rd Grade Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)52.659.4
 6.8%
   3rd Grade Math (Colorado)4140.4
 0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Platte River Charter Academy)57.776
 18.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)5959.2
 0.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)4843.8
 4.2%
4th Grade Math (Platte River Charter Academy)5070
 20%
   4th Grade Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)44.748.8
 4.1%
   4th Grade Math (Colorado)33.632.7
 0.9%
5th Grade Science (Platte River Charter Academy)6660
 6%
   5th Grade Science (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)47.750.7
 3%
   5th Grade Science (Colorado)35.933.9
 2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Platte River Charter Academy)8371.7
 11.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)59.164.5
 5.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)48.447.8
 0.6%
5th Grade Math (Platte River Charter Academy)56.652.9
 3.7%
   5th Grade Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)44.852.4
 7.6%
   5th Grade Math (Colorado)35.736.5
 0.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Platte River Charter Academy)8273.6
 8.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)60.365.1
 4.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)43.643.4
 0.2%
6th Grade Math (Platte River Charter Academy)7656.6
 19.4%
   6th Grade Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)45.147.7
 2.6%
   6th Grade Math (Colorado)29.528.2
 1.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Platte River Charter Academy)7288.2
 16.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)56.764.4
 7.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.545
 1.5%
7th Grade Math (Platte River Charter Academy)6258.8
 3.2%
   7th Grade Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)43.544.9
 1.4%
   7th Grade Math (Colorado)31.626.3
 5.3%
8th Grade Science (Platte River Charter Academy)6061.9
 1.9%
   8th Grade Science (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)41.945.9
 4%
   8th Grade Science (Colorado)31.531.3
 0.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Platte River Charter Academy)78.367.5
 10.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)52.558.4
 5.9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.942.4
 4.5%
8th Grade Math (Platte River Charter Academy)78.372.5
 5.8%
   8th Grade Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)48.850.5
 1.7%
   8th Grade Math (Colorado)36.932.7
 4.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Platte River Charter Academy)76.377.6
 1.3%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)56.761.6
 4.9%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)45.843.7
 2.1%
All Grades Math (Platte River Charter Academy)65.966.6
 0.7%
   All Grades Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)46.550.7
 4.2%
   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 Students574477
 16.9%
African American104
 60%
American Indian53
 40%
Asian4764
 36.2%
Hispanic5035
 30%
Pacific Islander00
White439329
 25.1%
Two or More Races2342
 82.6%


Schools Near Platte River Charter Academy









Frequently Asked Questions about Platte River Charter Academy

Yes. Platte River Charter Academy ranks in the top 5.2% of Colorado elementary schools.

Students at Platte River Charter Academy are 69% White, 13% Asian, 9% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic.

In the 2022-23 school year, 477 students attended Platte River Charter 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.





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