North Star Academy

Summary:

North Star Academy is a public charter elementary and middle school in Parker, Colorado, serving 683 students in grades K-8. As part of the highly-ranked Douglas County School District, North Star Academy has consistently been one of the top-performing elementary schools in the state, ranking in the top 5-10% of Colorado elementary schools over the past several years.

North Star Academy significantly outperforms the Douglas County School District and the state of Colorado on standardized tests across all grade levels and subject areas. In 2023-2024, 81.5% of North Star 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, 62.4% of North Star students were proficient or better, compared to 52.3% for the district and 34.2% for the state. The school also excels in serving its student subgroups, ranking highly among Colorado elementary schools for male, female, and white students.

North Star Academy's strong performance extends beyond academics, with a 0% dropout rate for the past 3 school years and a low chronic absenteeism rate of 8.4% in 2023-2024. The school maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 19.5 students per teacher, indicating a commitment to small class sizes and individualized attention. While North Star Academy outperforms the district and state averages, other nearby schools in the Douglas County district, such as Gold Rush Elementary, Parker Core Knowledge Charter, and Challenge to Excellence Charter, also demonstrate strong academic results, suggesting the district as a whole is providing high-quality educational opportunities.


Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

 16700 Keystone Blvd
       Parker, CO  80134-3544


(720) 851-7827

District: Douglas County School District No. Re 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
47th of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,958 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  19.5 Help
Number of students:  683

Racial breakdown:

White:
66.9%
Asian:
14.2%
Hispanic:
9.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  3.2% Help


 See top rated Colorado elementary schools

 Compare North Star Academy to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details North Star Academy ranks better than 95% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks 5th among 58 ranked elementary schools in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.85. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details North Star Academy ranks better than 96.7% of middle schools in Colorado. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.64. (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 North Star 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 North Star Academy is $10,958. 52 elementary schools in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1 spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

North Star Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks North Star Academy 47th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See North Star Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks North Star Academy 16th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See North Star 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.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for North Star Academy.

What do you think?

Your rating for North Star Academy?

Rank History for North Star Academy

Help
Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at North Star Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 78.18 173rd 872 80.2%
2010 85.54 100th 925 89.2%
2011 86.23 99th 935 89.4%
2012 90.28 55th 935 94.1%
2013 90.28 51st 954 94.7%
2014 84.18 119th 962 87.6%
2015 76.59 190th 938 79.7%
2016 78.43 161st 914 82.4%
2017 81.82 143rd 929 84.6%
2018 87.69 92nd 917 90.0%
2019 85.82 111th 965 88.5%
2021 83.75 117th 710 83.5%
2022 93.79 42nd 921 95.4%
2023 92.14 56th 933 94.0%
2024 92.85 47th 943 95.0%
See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at North Star Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.72 92nd 690 86.7%
2019 78.36 138th 758 81.8%
2021 82.94 60th 351 82.9%
2022 90.62 38th 595 93.6%
2023 84.99 69th 642 89.3%
2024 83.71 86th 684 87.4%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at North Star Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.54 91st 693 86.9%
2019 84.33 88th 764 88.5%
2021 69.96 124th 352 64.8%
2022 88.55 49th 594 91.8%
2023 89.04 52nd 649 92.0%
2024 92.61 35th 683 94.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at North Star Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.51 81st 337 76.0%
2019 71.02 142nd 596 76.2%
2021 73.26 77th 288 73.3%
2022 79.94 66th 454 85.5%
2023 74.09 114th 525 78.3%
2024 78.37 84th 539 84.4%
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 North Star Academy

Help
Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at North Star Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 64.48 130th 377 65.5%
2010 84.20 50th 409 87.8%
2011 84.15 47th 422 88.9%
2012 86.88 42nd 425 90.1%
2013 88.07 43rd 454 90.5%
2014 93.30 18th 461 96.1%
2015 85.00 47th 436 89.2%
2016 85.21 36th 400 91.0%
2017 89.50 37th 424 91.3%
2018 91.69 22nd 418 94.7%
2019 87.47 43rd 458 90.6%
2021 90.62 28th 369 92.4%
2022 95.85 14th 448 96.9%
2023 94.52 21st 480 95.6%
2024 95.64 16th 485 96.7%
See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Female students at North Star Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.74 24th 315 92.4%
2019 82.36 52nd 352 85.2%
2021 78.00 39th 254 84.6%
2022 90.82 21st 326 93.6%
2023 91.41 23rd 363 93.7%
2024 92.71 18th 350 94.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at North Star Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.48 25th 317 92.1%
2019 87.09 36th 343 89.5%
2021 90.03 21st 249 91.6%
2022 94.12 15th 328 95.4%
2023 91.55 24th 356 93.3%
2024 93.82 18th 357 95.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at North Star Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.62 30th 199 84.9%
2019 75.03 50th 283 82.3%
2021 86.48 17th 203 91.6%
2022 91.83 14th 265 94.7%
2023 88.19 22nd 286 92.3%
2024 88.04 19th 273 93.0%
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.

North Star 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
Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Open Quote Two of my children attend North Star presently and both are very happy. The character development is excellent, teachers genuinely care for their students and it has been an excellent experience. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, April 10, 2014

Open Quote We have been very happy with North Star Academy since enrolling our child for Kindergarten. He is now in the 1st grade and has really excelled.

We have been very happy with the school because of their individual attention given to the students, the small class sizes, and the curriculum.

North Star focuses on helping the children to develop academically and to improve their character, which is an important point for us.

We are very happy with North Star and we would recommend NSA to friends and family. Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Open Quote Great school with rigorous academics. The recent addition of ability grouping and extra curricular activities has added to this wonderful school. The character education and Spanish program sets NSA apart as an ideal school of choice. Close Quote


by a student
Thursday, July 19, 2012

Open Quote We have been going to North Star Academy for 7 years now and we have learned so much. In NSA we are taught a grade level above and pushed to the limit of our learning capacity. We love and are going to miss it after are last year here as 8th graders at North Star Academy. Thanks for everything NSA! We love you! Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, September 13, 2010

Open Quote Great school. Close Quote



Enrollment information for North Star Academy

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2007 316 9 28 25 3 n/a n/a 0 381
2008 347 4 34 28 1 n/a n/a 0 414
2009 405 5 36 27 0 n/a n/a 0 473
2010 469 8 38 33 0 n/a n/a 0 548
2011 449 13 34 63 1 2 25 0 587
2012 463 15 23 71 1 2 20 0 595
2013 489 9 37 82 1 1 32 0 651
2014 494 11 38 90 1 1 34 0 669
2015 487 8 36 96 1 0 42 0 670
2016 482 9 44 95 1 1 33 0 665
2017 492 10 49 92 2 0 36 0 681
2018 490 12 62 82 1 2 33 0 682
2019 467 11 69 83 2 0 39 0 671
2020 453 13 83 78 2 0 38 0 667
2021 438 16 85 78 0 0 37 0 654
2022 448 14 99 64 0 0 48 0 673
2023 457 15 97 66 0 0 48 0 683

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 North Star Academy

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2007 381 20.9 18.2 n/a
2008 414 25.2 16.4 n/a
2009 473 24.1 19.6 0
2010 548 31.4 17.4 0
2011 587 32.5 18.0 0
2012 595 36.0 16.4 0
2013 651 37.7 17.2 2.3
2014 669 39.1 17.1 0
2015 670 36.0 18.6 3.4
2016 665 34.0 19.5 5.1
2017 681 35.5 19.1 5
2018 682 34.7 19.6 5.4
2019 671 35.3 19.0 4.9
2020 667 34.9 19.1 4
2021 654 35.8 18.2 4.1
2022 673 34.2 19.6 3.3
2023 683 35.0 19.5 3.2

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 North Star Academy

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2007 381 20.9 18.2 n/a
2008 414 25.2 16.4 n/a
2009 473 24.1 19.6 0
2010 548 31.4 17.4 0
2011 587 32.5 18.0 0
2012 595 36.0 16.4 0
2013 651 37.7 17.2 2.3
2014 669 39.1 17.1 0
2015 670 36.0 18.6 3.4
2016 665 34.0 19.5 5.1
2017 681 35.5 19.1 5
2018 682 34.7 19.6 5.4
2019 671 35.3 19.0 4.9
2020 667 34.9 19.1 4
2021 654 35.8 18.2 4.1
2022 673 34.2 19.6 3.3
2023 683 35.0 19.5 3.2

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 North Star Academy

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $9,075
2020 $9,532
2021 $9,833
2022 $10,094
2023 $10,958

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

Impact of COVID-19 on North Star 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 111th of 965 Elementary schoolsRanks 56th of 933 Elementary schools
 5.5%
Ranks 43rd of 458 Middle schoolsRanks 21st of 480 Middle schools
 5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (North Star Academy)64.378.8
 14.5%
   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 (North Star Academy)62.975
 12.1%
   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 (North Star Academy)77.668.8
 8.8%
   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 (North Star Academy)51.355.1
 3.8%
   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 (North Star Academy)63.963.6
 0.3%
   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 (North Star Academy)7480.8
 6.8%
   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 (North Star Academy)47.262.8
 15.6%
   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 (North Star Academy)68.173.2
 5.1%
   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 (North Star Academy)43.553.5
 10%
   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 (North Star Academy)7991.9
 12.9%
   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 (North Star Academy)64.569.4
 4.9%
   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 (North Star Academy)67.363.6
 3.7%
   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 (North Star Academy)61.583.6
 22.1%
   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 (North Star Academy)56.961.8
 4.9%
   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 (North Star Academy)71.179
 7.9%
   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 (North Star Academy)5463
 9%
   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 Students671683
 1.8%
African American1115
 36.4%
American Indian20
 100%
Asian6997
 40.6%
Hispanic8366
 20.5%
Pacific Islander00
White467457
 2.1%
Two or More Races3948
 23.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients4.9%3.2%
 1.7%


Schools Near North Star Academy









Frequently Asked Questions about North Star Academy

In the 2022-23 school year, 683 students attended North Star Academy.

Students at North Star Academy are 67% White, 14% Asian, 10% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 2% African American.

Yes! North Star Academy is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 47th of 943 Colorado elementary schools.


Rate North Star Academy!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for North Star Academy!




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.





Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 128 milliseconds.