Gold Rush Elementary

Summary:

Gold Rush Elementary is a high-performing public elementary school in Parker, Colorado, serving 672 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Douglas County School District No. Re 1. The school consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Colorado, with exceptional academic performance that significantly exceeds district and state averages.

Gold Rush Elementary's students excel on Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) tests, with 72.8% proficient or better in English Language Arts, 67.2% in math, and 64.2% in science - all well above the district and state averages. The school's low student-teacher ratio and relatively low percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch suggest it serves a relatively affluent student population. When compared to nearby schools, Gold Rush stands out as a top performer, outpacing public charter schools like Leman Classical Academy and North Star Academy, as well as other public elementary schools in the district.

The consistent academic excellence at Gold Rush Elementary is a testament to the school's ability to provide a high-quality education to its students. The school's performance, particularly on CMAS tests, is truly impressive and sets it apart as one of the top-performing elementary schools in Colorado.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

12021 South Swift Fox Way
Parker, CO 80134-3200

(303) 387-7700

District: Douglas County School District No. Re 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
56^th of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,319

Students who attend Gold Rush Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Cimarron Middle
High:	Legend High School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.9

Number of students: 675

Racial breakdown:

White:

75.6%

Hispanic:

12.6%

Two or more races:

5.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 9.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Gold Rush Elementary ranks better than 94.1% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks 10^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 91.85. (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 Racial makeup is: White (75.6%), Hispanic (12.6%), two or more races (5.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 9.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gold Rush Elementary is 18.9. 56 elementary schools in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Gold Rush Elementary employs 35.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gold Rush Elementary is $14,319. 40 elementary schools in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Gold Rush Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Gold Rush Elementary 56^th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Gold Rush Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented 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 Gold Rush Elementary.

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Rank History for Gold Rush Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Gold Rush Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2010	78.72	175^th	925	81.1%
2011	74.89	222^nd	935	76.3%
2012	82.43	130^th	935	86.1%
2013	77.25	205^th	954	78.5%
2014	72.65	249^th	962	74.1%
2015	62.81	308^th	938	67.2%
2016	73.14	221^st	914	75.8%
2017	78.58	171^st	929	81.6%
2018	80.39	167^th	917	81.8%
2019	88.64	89^th	965	90.8%
2021	88.15	75^th	710	89.4%
2022	88.66	81^st	921	91.2%
2023	90.36	72^nd	933	92.3%
2024	91.85	56^th	943	94.1%

See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Gold Rush Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	72.43	159^th	690	77.0%
2019	82.64	98^th	758	87.1%
2021	87.43	43^rd	351	87.7%
2022	86.88	53^rd	595	91.1%
2023	87.21	56^th	642	91.3%
2024	85.53	70^th	684	89.8%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Gold Rush Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	79.25	10^th	82	87.8%
2024	74.98	14^th	91	84.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Gold Rush Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	73.98	154^th	693	77.8%
2019	85.15	81^st	764	89.4%
2021	70.45	119^th	352	66.2%
2022	79.58	101^st	594	83.0%
2023	83.00	91^st	649	86.0%
2024	88.84	56^th	683	91.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Gold Rush Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	77.05	66^th	337	80.4%
2019	75.75	108^th	596	81.9%
2021	73.33	75^th	288	74.0%
2022	70.50	123^rd	454	72.9%
2023	76.66	91^st	525	82.7%
2024	80.42	68^th	539	87.4%

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.

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, February 12, 2018

We love it here. Highly supportive environment and fantastic curriculum. Close Quote

by a teacher
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Gold Rush Elementary is such a clean school. There are a lot of nice kids at Gold Rush. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Gold Rush Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2009	440	22	19	25	2	n/a	n/a	508
2010	556	22	26	22	4	n/a	n/a	630
2011	520	8	29	39	4	2	21	623
2012	582	9	25	41	2	0	26	685
2013	606	6	28	41	3	0	30	714
2014	572	3	23	53	3	0	38	692
2015	587	6	16	56	2	1	35	703
2016	544	9	22	66	2	1	30	674
2017	523	7	21	56	2	0	38	647
2018	533	7	19	74	5	0	29	667
2019	534	6	23	73	1	0	32	669
2020	587	5	23	65	3	0	32	715
2021	550	7	24	59	4	0	23	667
2022	523	6	31	81	2	0	20	663
2023	514	5	34	91	3	0	25	672
2024	510	5	37	85	0	0	38	675

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 Gold Rush Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	508	24.2	21.0	3.5
2010	630	32.1	19.6	5.7
2011	623	28.0	22.1	7.7
2012	685	30.8	22.2	8
2013	714	34.3	20.8	7.4
2014	692	37.5	18.4	6.1
2015	703	37.0	19.0	4.8
2016	674	32.0	21.0	5.8
2017	647	31.0	20.8	6
2018	667	33.6	19.7	7.2
2019	669	32.5	20.5	4.6
2020	715	36.0	19.8	3.9
2021	667	37.0	18.0	4.3
2022	663	34.2	19.3	2.3
2023	672	37.1	18.0	5.1
2024	675	35.5	18.9	9.6

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 Gold Rush Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	508	24.2	21.0	3.5
2010	630	32.1	19.6	5.7
2011	623	28.0	22.1	7.7
2012	685	30.8	22.2	8
2013	714	34.3	20.8	7.4
2014	692	37.5	18.4	6.1
2015	703	37.0	19.0	4.8
2016	674	32.0	21.0	5.8
2017	647	31.0	20.8	6
2018	667	33.6	19.7	7.2
2019	669	32.5	20.5	4.6
2020	715	36.0	19.8	3.9
2021	667	37.0	18.0	4.3
2022	663	34.2	19.3	2.3
2023	672	37.1	18.0	5.1
2024	675	35.5	18.9	9.6

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 Gold Rush Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$10,968
2020	$11,382
2021	$11,578
2022	$12,793
2023	$14,319

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gold Rush Elementary

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 89^th of 965 Elementary schools	Ranks 72^nd of 933 Elementary schools	1.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Gold Rush Elementary)	63.8	74.4	10.6%
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 (Gold Rush Elementary)	77.1	78.6	1.5%
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 (Gold Rush Elementary)	67.8	59.6	8.2%
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 (Gold Rush Elementary)	48.3	47.7	0.6%
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 (Gold Rush Elementary)	62	68	6%
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 (Gold Rush Elementary)	67	70.9	3.9%
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 (Gold Rush Elementary)	65	83.7	18.7%
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%
All Grades English Language Arts (Gold Rush Elementary)	66.1	68.4	2.3%
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 (Gold Rush Elementary)	64.4	70.1	5.7%
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	669	672	0.4%
African American	6	5	16.7%
American Indian	1	3	200%
Asian	23	34	47.8%
Hispanic	73	91	24.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	534	514	3.7%
Two or More Races	32	25	21.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	4.6%	5.1%	0.4%

Schools Near Gold Rush Elementary

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
Gold Rush Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	12021 South Swift Fox Way	Parker	80134	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-7700	675	36	18.9	9.6%	510 (75.6%)	5 (0.7%)	85 (12.6%)	37 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.6%)	91.8	56^th of 943 public elementary schools	94.1%		90.4	72^nd of 933 public elementary schools	92.3%	16	77.2	71.1	70.9				72.8	77.2	65.2	60.9				67.2	64.2		$14,319
Prairie Crossing Elementary School	Public	K-6	11605 South Bradbury Ranch Dr	Parker	80134	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-8200	610	37	16.4	15.9%	442 (72.5%)	11 (1.8%)	80 (13.1%)	34 (5.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (6.7%)	85.3	119^th of 943 public elementary schools	87.4%		70.3	248^th of 933 public elementary schools	73.4%	129	72.1	53.7	67.5	66.7			65.4	78.8	56.8	57.3	64.1			65.2	45.6		$13,564
Legacy Point Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	12736 South Red Rosa Circle	Parker	80134	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-8725	515	27	18.9	18.8%	299 (58.1%)	15 (2.9%)	98 (19.0%)	61 (11.8%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (7.6%)	56.4	391^st of 943 public elementary schools	58.5%		65.3	295^th of 933 public elementary schools	68.4%	96	42.5	48.5	50.0				46.9	47.9	48.5	37.7				44.7	34.3		$14,800
Pine Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	10450 Stonegate Parkway	Parker	80134	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-8075	498	33	15.3	10.8%	371 (74.5%)	5 (1.0%)	57 (11.4%)	27 (5.4%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	35 (7.0%)	78	187^th of 943 public elementary schools	80.2%		72.6	230^th of 933 public elementary schools	75.3%	43	61.8	41.9	58.3	76.4			59.1	61.4	51.6	54.2	69.6			59.0	47.5		$15,166
Cherokee Trail Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	17302 Clarke Farms Drive	Parker	80134	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-8125	599	37	16.3	33.6%	309 (51.6%)	25 (4.2%)	147 (24.5%)	45 (7.5%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	69 (11.5%)	53.8	417^th of 943 public elementary schools	55.8%		62.2	326^th of 933 public elementary schools	65.1%	91	42.7	39.4	50.9	74.1			50.8	51.3	30.3	30.9	43.9			39.8	22.2		$15,252
Leman Classical Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	19560 Stroh Road	Parker	80134	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	Yes	No	No	No	(720) 767-1600	1,114	52	21.5	12.0%	876 (78.6%)	13 (1.2%)	111 (10.0%)	53 (4.8%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	57 (5.1%)	70.1	262^nd of 943 public elementary schools	72.2%		60.3	343^rd of 933 public elementary schools	63.2%	81	52.4	62.6	62.7	72.9	72.1	55.2	63.1	49.2	39.5	38.6	47.1	51.1	57.8	46.0	43.2	39.7	$9,015
Iron Horse Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	20151 Tallman Drive	Parker	80138	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-8525	449	26	17.6	21.6%	297 (66.1%)	9 (2.0%)	72 (16.0%)	26 (5.8%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	41 (9.1%)	74.7	215^th of 943 public elementary schools	77.2%		62.3	323^rd of 933 public elementary schools	65.4%	108	60.8	61.8	66.7				63.4	58.8	40.0	44.3				47.2	51.4		$15,058
North Star Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	16700 Keystone Blvd	Parker	80134	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	Yes	No	No	No	(720) 851-7827	678	35	19.3	7.4%	431 (63.6%)	13 (1.9%)	77 (11.4%)	104 (15.3%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (6.9%)	92.8	47^th of 943 public elementary schools	95.0%		92.1	56^th of 933 public elementary schools	94.0%	9	76.0	79.7	74.0	87.1	87.0	87.5	81.5	69.3	58.2	64.9	57.1	60.9	64.3	62.4	70.1	73.2	$10,958
Mammoth Heights Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	9500 Stonegate Parkway	Parker	80134	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-8925	606	41	14.6	25.2%	397 (65.5%)	9 (1.5%)	119 (19.6%)	54 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (4.3%)	73.9	221^st of 943 public elementary schools	76.6%		66.2	284^th of 933 public elementary schools	69.6%	63	58.8	43.7	60.6	56.5			54.1	58.8	42.5	57.6	53.6			52.4	54.7		$15,082
Global Village Academy - Douglas County	Public, Charter	K-6	18451 Ponderosa Drive	Parker	80134	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	Yes	No	No	No	(720) 476-8044	394	26	15.4	20.1%	159 (40.4%)	10 (2.5%)	149 (37.8%)	28 (7.1%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (11.7%)	73.7	226^th of 943 public elementary schools	76.0%		67.6	276^th of 933 public elementary schools	70.4%	50	61.9	72.3	68.8	60.0			66.0	42.9	46.7	40.6	47.4			44.0	50.0		$12,034

Frequently Asked Questions about Gold Rush Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Gold Rush Elementary?

Students at Gold Rush Elementary are 76% White, 13% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

What district is Gold Rush Elementary in?

Douglas County School District No. Re 1

How many students attend Gold Rush Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 675 students attended Gold Rush Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Gold Rush Elementary attend?

Students who attend Gold Rush Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cimarron Middle
High : Legend High School

Is Gold Rush Elementary a good school?

Yes. Gold Rush Elementary ranks in the top 5.9% of Colorado elementary schools.

Rate Gold Rush Elementary!

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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.