Is Golden High School a good school?

Golden High School ranks 57 th of 349 Colorado high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Golden High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,453 students attended Golden High School.

What is the racial makeup of Golden High School?

Students at Golden High School are 80% White, 13% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools feed into Golden High School?

Golden High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Kyffin Elementary School Elementary : Maple Grove Elementary School Elementary : Mitchell Elementary School Elementary : Ralston Elementary School Elementary : Shelton Elementary School Elementary : Welchester Elementary School Middle : Bell Middle School

Golden High School

Summary:

Golden High School is a public high school serving 1,416 students in grades 9-12 in Golden, Colorado. It is part of the Jefferson County School District No. R-1, which is ranked 35 out of 116 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Golden High School consistently performs above the state and district averages on standardized tests, with 79% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in SAT Reading and Writing, compared to 67% for the district and 58% for the state. However, the school's student population is relatively homogeneous, with 79.87% of students identifying as White, significantly higher than the nearby Lakewood High School, where only 49.5% of students are White. Additionally, the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Golden High School has been relatively low, ranging from 15.99% to 21.61% over the past three school years, lower than the 42.97% rate at Lakewood High School.

While Golden High School's academic performance is generally strong across different student subgroups, the school's performance for students with disabilities, low socioeconomic status, and gifted and talented students is relatively lower compared to other subgroups. Additionally, the school faces competition from nearby high-performing schools, such as Green Mountain High School and Lakewood High School, both of which have higher statewide rankings and, in some cases, better test scores than Golden High School.

Detail:

Public 9-12

701 24th Street
Golden, CO 80401-2379

(303) 982-4200

District: Jefferson County School District No. R-1

SchoolDigger Rank:
57^th of 349 Colorado High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,884

Feeder schools for Golden High School:

Elementary:	Kyffin Elementary School
	Maple Grove Elementary School
	Mitchell Elementary School
	Ralston Elementary School
	More...
	Shelton Elementary School
	Welchester Elementary School
Middle:	Bell Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 21.2

Number of students: 1,453

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.0%

Hispanic:

12.8%

Two or more races:

3.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 21.2%

See top rated Colorado high schools

Compare Golden High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Golden High School ranks better than 83.7% of high schools in Colorado. It also ranks 7^th among 24 ranked high schools in the Jefferson County School District No. R-1. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 81.36. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Golden High School 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 Racial makeup is: White (80%), Hispanic (12.8%), two or more races (3.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 21.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Golden High School is 21.2. 26 high schools in the Jefferson County School District No. R-1 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Golden High School employs 68.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Golden High School is $13,884. 22 high schools in the Jefferson County School District No. R-1 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Golden High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Golden High School 57^th of 349 Colorado public high schools. (See Golden High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Jefferson County School District No. R-1:

SchoolDigger ranks Jefferson County School District No. R-1 35^th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Golden High School.

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Your rating for Golden High School?

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Rank History for Golden High School

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Rank History for all students at Golden High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2004	72.53	76^th	279	72.8%
2005	67.73	88^th	280	68.6%
2006	67.62	91^st	286	68.2%
2007	75.43	71^st	298	76.2%
2008	72.48	85^th	301	71.8%
2009	76.69	66^th	310	78.7%
2010	77.86	62^nd	327	81.0%
2011	74.80	76^th	337	77.4%
2012	70.78	95^th	334	71.6%
2013	71.67	91^st	349	73.9%
2014	66.25	112^th	369	69.6%
2015	60.17	74^th	292	74.7%
2016	65.06	44^th	255	82.7%
2017	67.70	38^th	256	85.2%
2018	82.31	54^th	388	86.1%
2019	82.51	59^th	411	85.6%
2021	67.64	64^th	210	69.5%
2022	74.78	50^th	221	77.4%
2023	81.97	56^th	349	84.0%
2024	81.36	57^th	349	83.7%

See the entire list of Colorado High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Golden High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	55.91	22^nd	60	63.3%
2022	63.62	24^th	77	68.8%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Golden High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	64.51	45^th	188	76.1%
2022	71.27	47^th	203	76.8%
2023	66.19	60^th	200	70.0%
2024	52.88	90^th	211	57.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Golden High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	73.52	62^nd	239	74.1%
2022	79.50	52^nd	257	79.8%
2023	77.29	55^th	254	78.3%
2024	80.45	43^rd	257	83.3%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Golden High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	43.87	35^th	74	52.7%
2024	52.02	30^th	84	64.3%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Golden High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	54.92	58^th	118	50.8%
2022	47.41	71^st	108	34.3%
2023	45.39	86^th	135	36.3%
2024	53.50	77^th	140	45.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Golden High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	79.54	51^st	240	78.8%
2022	84.38	35^th	253	86.2%
2023	81.28	45^th	252	82.1%
2024	77.08	51^st	256	80.1%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Golden High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	44.12	24^th	41	41.5%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Golden High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	65.79	49^th	181	72.9%
2022	65.98	60^th	205	70.7%
2023	48.62	87^th	198	56.1%
2024	55.46	76^th	199	61.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Golden High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	65.44	78^th	225	65.3%
2022	75.57	55^th	228	75.9%
2023	71.94	68^th	234	70.9%
2024	69.49	70^th	229	69.4%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High 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: 3)

100%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Monday, August 15, 2011

How old is this school building? It appears to be in a residential neighborhood so is there any parking? Close Quote

Enrollment information for Golden High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	1073	5	17	35	6	n/a	n/a	1136
1989	1312	6	22	55	20	n/a	n/a	1415
1990	1209	6	19	50	13	n/a	n/a	1297
1991	1197	8	27	53	9	n/a	n/a	1294
1992	1173	11	30	65	9	n/a	n/a	1288
1993	1207	12	30	62	9	n/a	n/a	1320
1994	1196	12	40	50	8	n/a	n/a	1306
1995	1291	9	34	53	13	n/a	n/a	1400
1996	1291	9	34	53	13	n/a	n/a	1400
1997	1312	8	34	57	12	n/a	n/a	1423
1998	1279	4	35	60	16	n/a	n/a	1394
1999	1244	11	34	74	16	n/a	n/a	1379
2000	1271	13	37	86	14	n/a	n/a	1421
2001	1177	8	28	82	11	n/a	n/a	1306
2002	1155	9	39	91	15	n/a	n/a	1309
2003	1155	9	39	91	15	n/a	n/a	1309
2004	1138	11	38	97	15	n/a	n/a	1299
2005	1132	15	33	88	17	n/a	n/a	1285
2006	1121	17	33	101	15	n/a	n/a	1287
2007	1115	17	35	124	15	n/a	n/a	1306
2008	1153	13	32	115	16	n/a	n/a	1329
2009	1178	12	30	106	17	n/a	n/a	1343
2010	1143	9	37	94	13	n/a	n/a	1296
2011	1086	11	31	114	6	4	24	1276
2012	1011	13	39	135	11	4	36	1249
2013	985	15	37	156	16	4	38	1251
2014	1017	12	35	169	8	7	30	1278
2015	1036	16	33	170	8	6	32	1301
2016	994	11	28	172	6	5	34	1250
2017	1003	4	40	169	4	2	39	1261
2018	1053	4	35	171	10	1	53	1327
2019	1049	9	44	165	8	3	48	1326
2020	1093	7	48	172	3	6	43	1372
2021	1101	7	40	174	5	4	50	1381
2022	1093	8	33	169	8	2	50	1363
2023	1131	10	22	182	11	1	59	1416
2024	1163	12	23	186	11	1	57	1453

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 Golden High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1136	55.5	20.4	n/a
1989	1415	67.8	20.8	3
1990	1297	66.8	19.4	4.8
1991	1294	59.8	21.6	4.3
1992	1288	61.7	20.8	6.1
1993	1320	63.8	20.7	5.2
1994	1306	62.6	20.9	6.4
1995	1400	66.2	21.2	8.4
1996	1400	66.2	21.2	8.4
1997	1423	68.7	20.7	8.4
1998	1394	68.1	20.5	7.9
1999	1379	67.5	20.4	7.6
2000	1421	66.7	21.3	9.9
2001	1306	64.9	20.1	8.7
2002	1309	64.6	20.3	12
2003	1309	64.6	20.3	12
2004	1299	60.3	21.5	12.5
2005	1285	58.3	22.0	13.5
2006	1287	62.8	20.5	17.6
2007	1306	62.6	20.9	18.8
2008	1329	64.2	20.7	17.2
2009	1343	65.6	20.5	14.2
2010	1296	62.6	20.7	19.2
2011	1276	60.6	21.0	19.7
2012	1249	61.6	20.2	22.4
2013	1251	61.8	20.2	26.9
2014	1278	65.4	19.5	26.9
2015	1301	64.0	20.3	23.4
2016	1250	62.0	20.1	23.7
2017	1261	60.6	20.8	24.1
2018	1327	64.8	20.4	21.8
2019	1326	66.3	19.9	20.1
2020	1372	67.0	20.4	19.7
2021	1381	66.5	20.7	18.6
2022	1363	66.9	20.3	16
2023	1416	66.8	21.1	21.6
2024	1453	68.2	21.2	21.2

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 Golden High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1136	55.5	20.4	n/a
1989	1415	67.8	20.8	3
1990	1297	66.8	19.4	4.8
1991	1294	59.8	21.6	4.3
1992	1288	61.7	20.8	6.1
1993	1320	63.8	20.7	5.2
1994	1306	62.6	20.9	6.4
1995	1400	66.2	21.2	8.4
1996	1400	66.2	21.2	8.4
1997	1423	68.7	20.7	8.4
1998	1394	68.1	20.5	7.9
1999	1379	67.5	20.4	7.6
2000	1421	66.7	21.3	9.9
2001	1306	64.9	20.1	8.7
2002	1309	64.6	20.3	12
2003	1309	64.6	20.3	12
2004	1299	60.3	21.5	12.5
2005	1285	58.3	22.0	13.5
2006	1287	62.8	20.5	17.6
2007	1306	62.6	20.9	18.8
2008	1329	64.2	20.7	17.2
2009	1343	65.6	20.5	14.2
2010	1296	62.6	20.7	19.2
2011	1276	60.6	21.0	19.7
2012	1249	61.6	20.2	22.4
2013	1251	61.8	20.2	26.9
2014	1278	65.4	19.5	26.9
2015	1301	64.0	20.3	23.4
2016	1250	62.0	20.1	23.7
2017	1261	60.6	20.8	24.1
2018	1327	64.8	20.4	21.8
2019	1326	66.3	19.9	20.1
2020	1372	67.0	20.4	19.7
2021	1381	66.5	20.7	18.6
2022	1363	66.9	20.3	16
2023	1416	66.8	21.1	21.6
2024	1453	68.2	21.2	21.2

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 Golden High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$10,775
2020	$11,061
2021	$10,888
2022	$12,536
2023	$13,884

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Golden High 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 59^th of 411 High schools	Ranks 56^th of 349 High schools	1.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1326	1416	6.8%
African American	9	10	11.1%
American Indian	8	11	37.5%
Asian	44	22	50%
Hispanic	165	182	10.3%
Pacific Islander	3	1	66.7%
White	1049	1131	7.8%
Two or More Races	48	59	22.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	20.1%	21.6%	1.5%

Schools Near Golden High School

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 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 11th Grade	Total
Golden High School	Public	9-12	701 24th Street	Golden	80401	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	No	(303) 982-4200	1,453	68	21.2	21.2%	1,163 (80.0%)	12 (0.8%)	186 (12.8%)	23 (1.6%)	11 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	57 (3.9%)	81.4	57^th of 349 public high schools	83.7%		82	56^th of 349 public high schools	84.0%	1	76.0	48.0	80.0	64.0	79.0	48.0				43.1	$13,884
Lookout Mountain	Public	5-12	2901 Ford Street	Golden	80401	Jefferson County	Division of Youth Services	No	No	No	No	(303) 273-2600																			(n/a)											$00
Jeffco Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual	6-12	1829 Denver West Drive Bldg #	Golden	80401	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	Yes	No	(303) 982-6770	441	22	20.0		262 (59.4%)	6 (1.4%)	137 (31.1%)	3 (0.7%)	5 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (6.1%)	46.1	178^th of 349 public high schools	49.0%		35.5	216^th of 349 public high schools	38.1%	38					68.0	14.0	22.2	24.2	21.2		$17,341
McLain Community High School	Public	7-12	13600 West 2nd Place	Lakewood	80228	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	No	(303) 982-7460	408	33	12.5	61.5%	215 (52.7%)	6 (1.5%)	164 (40.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	18 (4.4%)	9.1	319^th of 349 public high schools	8.6%		7.1	324^th of 349 public high schools	7.2%	5	39.0				24.0	6.0					$22,005
Warren Technical	Public	11-12	13300 West 2nd Place	Lakewood	80228	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	No	(303) 982-8600	28	41	.6		23 (82.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (10.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.6%)								(n/a)
Longview High School	Public	9-12	13301 West 2nd Place	Lakewood	80228	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	No	(303) 982-8523	25	5	4.9	84.0%	4 (16.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (68.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (12.0%)								(n/a)											$33,921
Colorado Virtual Academy High School	Public, Virtual	9-12	165 S. Union Blvd #777	Lakewood	80228	Jefferson County	Byers School District No. 32J	No	No	Yes	No	(303) 255-4650	602	10	57.7		318 (52.8%)	44 (7.3%)	220 (36.5%)	11 (1.8%)	8 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)											$9,126
Astravo Online Academy High School	Public, Virtual	9-12	165 South Union Blvd Suite 777	Lakewood	80228	Jefferson County	Byers School District No. 32J	No	No	Yes	No	(303) 822-5292	2,578	43	59.4		1,305 (50.6%)	228 (8.8%)	962 (37.3%)	38 (1.5%)	25 (1.0%)	20 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	25.4	254^th of 349 public high schools	27.2%		30.6	235^th of 349 public high schools	32.7%	19	54.0		44.0		47.0					12.1	$9,164
Colorado Online High School	Public, Virtual	9-12	165 S. Union Blvd #777	Lakewood	80228	Jefferson County	Byers School District No. 32J	No	No	Yes	No	(303) 255-4650	389	5	74.9		258 (66.3%)	32 (8.2%)	76 (19.5%)	19 (4.9%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)											$7,091
Green Mountain High School	Public	9-12	13175 W Green Mountain Drive	Lakewood	80228	Jefferson County	Jefferson County School District No. R-1	No	No	No	No	(303) 982-9500	1,081	56	19.3	26.4%	780 (72.2%)	11 (1.0%)	201 (18.6%)	31 (2.9%)	5 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	52 (4.8%)	70	97^th of 349 public high schools	72.2%		75.8	79^th of 349 public high schools	77.4%	18	74.0	43.0	74.0	50.0	67.0	37.0				46.2	$15,209

Golden High School

Golden High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Jefferson County School District No. R-1:

Average Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Golden High School

Rank History for all students at Golden High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Golden High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Golden High School

Rank History for Female students at Golden High School

Rank History for Disabled students at Golden High School

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Golden High School

Rank History for Male students at Golden High School

Rank History for Asian students at Golden High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Golden High School

Rank History for White students at Golden High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Golden High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Golden High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Golden High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Golden High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Golden High School

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near Golden High School

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