Is Copper Mesa Elementary School a good school?

Copper Mesa Elementary School ranks 147 th of 943 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Copper Mesa Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 319 students attended Copper Mesa Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Copper Mesa Elementary School?

Students at Copper Mesa Elementary School are 75% White, 9% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 6% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Copper Mesa Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Copper Mesa Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Mountain Ridge Middle School High : Mountain Vista High School

Copper Mesa Elementary School

Summary:

Copper Mesa Elementary School is a high-performing public elementary school in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, serving 319 students in grades PK-6 and part of the highly-ranked Douglas County School District No. Re 1. The school consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Colorado, with strong test scores that outpace the district and state averages.

Copper Mesa Elementary School excels in standardized testing, with 60.7% of students proficient or better in CMAS/English Language Arts, 58.6% in CMAS/Math, and 65.9% in CMAS/Science - all significantly higher than the district and state averages. The school also has low chronic absenteeism rates and a small percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting it serves a relatively affluent student population. Compared to nearby schools, Copper Mesa consistently ranks higher in both test scores and overall statewide rankings.

While Heritage Elementary and Summit View Elementary are also high-performing schools in the area, Copper Mesa Elementary has maintained its strong academic performance over the years, indicating it has established effective educational practices and a supportive learning environment for its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

3501 Poston Parkway
Highlands Ranch, CO 80126-8033

(303) 387-7375

District: Douglas County School District No. Re 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
147^th of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,829

Students who attend Copper Mesa Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Mountain Ridge Middle School
High:	Mountain Vista High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.4

Number of students: 319

Racial breakdown:

White:

74.6%

Hispanic:

9.4%

Two or more races:

8.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 7.2%

See top rated Colorado elementary schools

Compare Copper Mesa Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Copper Mesa Elementary School ranks better than 84.4% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks 26^th among 58 ranked elementary schools in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 82.45. (See more...)

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 Copper Mesa Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Copper Mesa Elementary School is $16,829, which is the 5^th highest among 58 elementary schools in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Copper Mesa Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Copper Mesa Elementary School 147^th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Copper Mesa Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary 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 5^th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Copper Mesa Elementary School.

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Rank History for Copper Mesa Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Copper Mesa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2007	82.48	111^th	852	87.0%
2008	82.65	117^th	849	86.2%
2009	80.14	152^nd	872	82.6%
2010	83.34	127^th	925	86.3%
2011	77.59	191^st	935	79.6%
2012	84.07	120^th	935	87.2%
2013	80.10	164^th	954	82.8%
2014	79.05	177^th	962	81.6%
2015	79.91	163^rd	938	82.6%
2016	70.96	239^th	914	73.9%
2017	75.80	204^th	929	78.0%
2018	68.02	257^th	917	72.0%
2019	61.26	353^rd	965	63.4%
2021	66.88	244^th	710	65.6%
2022	84.83	108^th	921	88.3%
2023	84.04	130^th	933	86.1%
2024	82.45	147^th	943	84.4%

See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Copper Mesa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	59.70	242^nd	690	64.9%
2019	52.05	332^nd	758	56.2%
2021	55.94	188^th	351	46.4%
2022	78.26	105^th	595	82.4%
2023	81.15	94^th	642	85.4%
2024	73.72	150^th	684	78.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Copper Mesa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	61.55	218^th	693	68.5%
2019	57.51	292^nd	764	61.8%
2021	57.60	181^st	352	48.6%
2022	74.27	139^th	594	76.6%
2023	85.13	75^th	649	88.4%
2024	78.21	130^th	683	81.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Copper Mesa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2019	37.37	377^th	596	36.7%
2021	46.98	181^st	288	37.2%
2022	73.98	100^th	454	78.0%
2023	63.21	183^rd	525	65.1%
2024	65.36	184^th	539	65.9%

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.

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, March 13, 2018

This is our first year at Copper Mesa and we couldn't be more pleased. The administration, staff, students, and parents are fantastic! Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, December 2, 2012

My child is in Second Grade and has been going to Copper Mesa since Kindergarten. CME is a wonderful school with highly educated and supportive teachers. Luan Ezra is an excellent principal that always puts students first. My child has always been happy and challenged at Copper Mesa. This school has a wide range of technology, math, science, social studies, writing and reading resources that are always current. Copper Mesa is a second home to our family and we couldn't be happier. Close Quote

by a citizen
Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Outstanding school. Warm, welcoming, lots of opportunity for parent involvement. A real neighborhood school Close Quote

Enrollment information for Copper Mesa Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2006	380	12	28	31	0	n/a	n/a	451
2007	437	9	30	27	2	n/a	n/a	505
2008	476	9	42	31	3	n/a	n/a	561
2009	529	11	34	39	3	n/a	n/a	616
2010	562	10	35	36	3	n/a	n/a	646
2011	526	8	41	74	0	1	17	667
2012	528	3	33	63	5	2	24	658
2013	523	5	38	67	1	0	25	659
2014	513	3	32	71	0	0	35	654
2015	489	2	34	68	1	0	46	640
2016	469	7	35	56	2	0	28	597
2017	436	4	32	55	0	0	32	559
2018	402	6	27	54	0	0	28	517
2019	353	7	24	54	4	0	33	475
2020	325	4	23	35	1	0	40	428
2021	281	2	20	35	0	0	28	366
2022	275	0	20	28	0	0	30	353
2023	238	3	20	30	0	0	28	319

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 Copper Mesa Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	451	24.0	18.8	0.9
2007	505	26.3	19.2	1.8
2008	561	30.3	18.5	1.6
2009	616	31.1	19.8	1.3
2010	646	34.1	18.9	2
2011	667	29.5	22.6	2.2
2012	658	29.5	22.3	2.4
2013	659	31.9	20.6	2.3
2014	654	32.3	20.1	4
2015	640	33.0	19.3	2.8
2016	597	30.0	19.9	3.2
2017	559	29.5	18.9	4.3
2018	517	27.5	18.8	5
2019	475	27.0	17.5	3.8
2020	428	27.0	15.8	3.5
2021	366	23.0	15.8	3.8
2022	353	21.9	16.1	5.4
2023	319	20.7	15.4	7.2

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 Copper Mesa Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	451	24.0	18.8	0.9
2007	505	26.3	19.2	1.8
2008	561	30.3	18.5	1.6
2009	616	31.1	19.8	1.3
2010	646	34.1	18.9	2
2011	667	29.5	22.6	2.2
2012	658	29.5	22.3	2.4
2013	659	31.9	20.6	2.3
2014	654	32.3	20.1	4
2015	640	33.0	19.3	2.8
2016	597	30.0	19.9	3.2
2017	559	29.5	18.9	4.3
2018	517	27.5	18.8	5
2019	475	27.0	17.5	3.8
2020	428	27.0	15.8	3.5
2021	366	23.0	15.8	3.8
2022	353	21.9	16.1	5.4
2023	319	20.7	15.4	7.2

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 Copper Mesa Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$11,035
2020	$12,332
2021	$13,307
2022	$14,457
2023	$16,829

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Copper Mesa Elementary 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 353^rd of 965 Elementary schools	Ranks 130^th of 933 Elementary schools	22.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Copper Mesa Elementary School)	40.7	56.4	15.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)	52	58	6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	41.3	39.9	1.4%
3rd Grade Math (Copper Mesa Elementary School)	41	64.1	23.1%
3rd Grade Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)	52.6	59.4	6.8%
3rd Grade Math (Colorado)	41	40.4	0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Copper Mesa Elementary School)	54.1	52.4	1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)	59	59.2	0.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48	43.8	4.2%
4th Grade Math (Copper Mesa Elementary School)	34.4	54.8	20.4%
4th Grade Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)	44.7	48.8	4.1%
4th Grade Math (Colorado)	33.6	32.7	0.9%
5th Grade Science (Copper Mesa Elementary School)	31.1	67.4	36.3%
5th Grade Science (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)	47.7	50.7	3%
5th Grade Science (Colorado)	35.9	33.9	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Copper Mesa Elementary School)	53.9	63.8	9.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)	59.1	64.5	5.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48.4	47.8	0.6%
5th Grade Math (Copper Mesa Elementary School)	43.4	68.1	24.7%
5th Grade Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)	44.8	52.4	7.6%
5th Grade Math (Colorado)	35.7	36.5	0.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Copper Mesa Elementary School)	60.3	62.5	2.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)	60.3	65.1	4.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	43.6	43.4	0.2%
6th Grade Math (Copper Mesa Elementary School)	51.3	48.6	2.7%
6th Grade Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)	45.1	47.7	2.6%
6th Grade Math (Colorado)	29.5	28.2	1.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Copper Mesa Elementary School)	52.9	58.8	5.9%
All Grades English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)	56.7	61.6	4.9%
All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)	45.8	43.7	2.1%
All Grades Math (Copper Mesa Elementary School)	43.1	59.5	16.4%
All Grades Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)	46.5	50.7	4.2%
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	475	319	32.8%
African American	7	3	57.1%
American Indian	4	0	100%
Asian	24	20	16.7%
Hispanic	54	30	44.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	353	238	32.6%
Two or More Races	33	28	15.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	3.8%	7.2%	3.4%

Schools Near Copper Mesa Elementary School

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 7th Grade	CMAS Math 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	CMAS Science 8th Grade	Total
Copper Mesa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3501 Poston Parkway	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-7375	319	21	15.4	7.2%	238 (74.6%)	3 (0.9%)	30 (9.4%)	20 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.8%)	82.5	147^th of 943 public elementary schools	84.4%		84	130^th of 933 public elementary schools	86.1%	17	43.2	59.5	69.6	69.6			60.7	56.8	57.9	58.7	60.9			58.6	65.9		$16,829
Heritage Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3350 Summit View Parkway	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6725	372	22	16.9	7.5%	262 (70.4%)	4 (1.1%)	61 (16.4%)	22 (5.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.9%)	95.4	26^th of 943 public elementary schools	97.2%		97.4	14^th of 933 public elementary schools	98.5%	12	70.0	65.8	89.6	87.9			80.5	73.3	73.0	66.7	71.2			70.7	74.5		$15,551
Arrowwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	10345 Arrowwood Drive	Highlands Ranch	80130	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6875	406	24	17.2	14.8%	249 (61.3%)	8 (2.0%)	88 (21.7%)	29 (7.1%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.4%)	68	288^th of 943 public elementary schools	69.5%		67.6	275^th of 933 public elementary schools	70.5%	13	52.5	58.8	56.9	69.6			59.6	60.0	35.8	49.0	50.0			47.9	26.0		$15,538
Summit View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	10200 South Piedmont Drive	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6800	430	25	17.0	2.1%	339 (78.8%)	2 (0.5%)	39 (9.1%)	24 (5.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.8%)	87.8	98^th of 943 public elementary schools	89.6%		94	39^th of 933 public elementary schools	95.8%	59	52.9	56.4	71.9	81.6			66.8	79.4	50.0	73.0	61.2			64.9	65.1		$15,225
Redstone Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	9970 Glenstone Circle	Highlands Ranch	80130	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-7300	412	26	15.8	3.9%	269 (65.3%)	3 (0.7%)	55 (13.3%)	55 (13.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.0%)	91.7	59^th of 943 public elementary schools	93.7%		92	57^th of 933 public elementary schools	93.9%	2	80.4	72.2	71.7				74.5	82.1	64.9	66.1				70.4	54.2		$15,871
Wildcat Mountain Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6585 Lionshead Parkway	Littleton	80124	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6925	438	29	14.9	3.9%	316 (72.1%)	4 (0.9%)	40 (9.1%)	37 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	40 (9.1%)	86.8	108^th of 943 public elementary schools	88.5%		89.2	81^st of 933 public elementary schools	91.3%	27	66.7	63.4	78.7				69.7	62.5	50.7	64.0				59.2	58.7		$16,412
Platte River Charter Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	4085 Lark Sparrow St.	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	Yes	No	No	No	(303) 221-1070	477	29	16.7		329 (69.0%)	4 (0.8%)	35 (7.3%)	64 (13.4%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (8.8%)	92.7	49^th of 943 public elementary schools	94.8%		92.4	54^th of 933 public elementary schools	94.2%	5	77.4	70.8	71.2	77.8	88.0	83.3	78.0	94.3	79.6	59.6	68.5	76.0	65.3	73.9	55.8	70.8	$9,676
Bear Canyon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	9660 Salford Lane	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6475	393	24	16.5	9.2%	288 (73.3%)	3 (0.8%)	59 (15.0%)	13 (3.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.4%)	90.3	76^th of 943 public elementary schools	91.9%		93.2	45^th of 933 public elementary schools	95.2%	31	66.0	74.5	81.6	81.4			75.8	57.4	74.5	57.1	60.5			62.4	60.9		$14,664
Cougar Run Elementary School	Public	K-6	8780 Venneford Ranch Road	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6675	344	20	17.2	13.4%	243 (70.6%)	3 (0.9%)	52 (15.1%)	20 (5.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (7.3%)	84.3	130^th of 943 public elementary schools	86.2%		77.7	184^th of 933 public elementary schools	80.3%	54	68.4	66.0	66.7	81.1			70.0	63.2	38.5	64.4	71.1			57.8	54.3		$18,514
Saddle Ranch Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	805 West English Sparrow Trail	Highlands Ranch	80129	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6400	353	22	15.7	5.1%	281 (79.6%)	1 (0.3%)	33 (9.3%)	21 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.8%)	91.3	65^th of 943 public elementary schools	93.1%		85.7	111^th of 933 public elementary schools	88.1%	46	60.4	71.4	75.0	70.2			69.2	70.8	58.5	70.8	62.5			65.9	72.3		$16,151

Copper Mesa Elementary School

Copper Mesa Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Douglas County School District No. Re 1:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Copper Mesa Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Copper Mesa Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at Copper Mesa Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Copper Mesa Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Copper Mesa Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Copper Mesa Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Copper Mesa Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Copper Mesa Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Copper Mesa Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Copper Mesa Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Copper Mesa Elementary School