Academy High School

Summary:

Academy High School is a public high school located in Thornton, Colorado, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 420. The school is part of the Mapleton School District No. 1, which is ranked 112 out of 116 school districts in Colorado and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's student population is predominantly Hispanic (81.9% in 2022-2023).

Academy High School consistently ranks in the bottom third of Colorado high schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years. The school's performance on standardized tests, such as CMAS, SAT, and PSAT, is significantly below the state and district averages. For example, in 2023-2024, only 13% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in SAT Mathematics, compared to the state average of 31%. The school also struggles to support its Gifted and Talented students, ranking 137 out of 140 Colorado high schools in 2023-2024. Additionally, with 57.86% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023, Academy High School has a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, ranking 145 out of 211 Colorado high schools in 2023-2024 for this metric.

Compared to nearby schools, Academy High School performs significantly worse than the Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts, Mapleton Early Career Preparation, and Global Leadership Academy, all of which are part of the Mapleton School District. Even Northglenn High School, which is in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools district, outperforms Academy High School on most academic measures, despite having a similar percentage of low-income students. This suggests that Academy High School faces unique challenges in supporting its predominantly Hispanic student population and providing a high-quality education.

Detail:

Public 9-12

8970 York St
Thornton, CO 80229-4666

(303) 853-1900

District: Mapleton School District No. 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
286^th of 349 Colorado High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,553

Feeder schools for Academy High School:

Elementary:	Achieve Academy
	Adventure Elementary
	Clayton Partnership School
	Explore Pk-8
	More...
	Meadow Community School
	Monterey Community School
	Welby Community School of the Arts

Student/teacher ratio: 19.0

Number of students: 420

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

81.9%

White:

10.7%

Asian:

2.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 57.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Academy High School ranks worse than 81.9% of high schools in Colorado. It also ranks first among 4 ranked high schools in the Mapleton School District No. 1! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.99. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Academy 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 Academy High School has the largest high school student body size in the Mapleton School District No. 1. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Academy High School is $13,553. 4 high schools in the Mapleton School District No. 1 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Academy High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Academy High School 286^th of 349 Colorado public high schools. (See Academy High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Mapleton School District No. 1:

SchoolDigger ranks Mapleton School District No. 1 112^th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Academy High School

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Rank History for all students at Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2007	9.27	270^th	298	9.4%
2008	8.34	271^st	301	10.0%
2009	16.08	264^th	310	14.8%
2010	22.52	265^th	327	19.0%
2011	16.29	280^th	337	16.9%
2012	15.71	275^th	334	17.7%
2013	10.61	305^th	349	12.6%
2014	16.29	305^th	369	17.3%
2015	13.44	264^th	292	9.6%
2016	19.55	198^th	255	22.4%
2017	14.93	223^rd	256	12.9%
2018	14.22	317^th	388	18.3%
2019	16.51	331^st	411	19.5%
2023	18.01	284^th	349	18.6%
2024	18.99	286^th	349	18.1%

See the entire list of Colorado High School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	17.94	165^th	188	12.2%
2022	24.71	158^th	203	22.2%
2023	22.62	164^th	200	18.0%
2024	32.42	145^th	211	31.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	12.14	213^th	239	10.9%
2022	9.16	229^th	257	10.9%
2023	13.40	221^st	254	13.0%
2024	12.71	222^nd	257	13.6%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	16.71	123^rd	135	8.9%
2024	0.39	137^th	140	2.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	13.54	205^th	240	14.6%
2022	15.07	214^th	253	15.4%
2023	20.58	198^th	252	21.4%
2024	22.65	191^st	256	25.4%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	17.81	155^th	181	14.4%
2022	20.26	161^st	205	21.5%
2023	25.09	153^rd	198	22.7%
2024	34.32	124^th	199	37.7%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Hispanic 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:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Academy High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2006	62	7	7	122	2	n/a	n/a	200
2007	101	10	11	200	4	n/a	n/a	326
2008	106	6	19	194	3	n/a	n/a	328
2009	96	9	16	190	2	n/a	n/a	313
2010	71	10	13	167	2	n/a	n/a	263
2011	73	4	10	221	1	0	2	311
2012	65	5	5	222	0	0	3	300
2013	65	10	7	265	0	0	4	351
2014	65	2	4	301	1	0	6	379
2015	63	5	5	301	2	0	6	382
2016	59	7	5	319	5	2	7	404
2017	53	17	8	335	8	2	12	435
2018	51	14	7	356	6	1	13	448
2019	42	6	4	366	3	0	14	435
2020	44	5	5	397	1	0	15	467
2021	41	7	10	377	1	2	10	448
2022	53	4	13	394	1	0	5	470
2023	45	10	12	344	1	0	8	420

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 Academy High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	200	12.0	16.7	46.5
2007	326	14.5	22.5	40.2
2008	328	16.5	19.9	47
2009	313	13.0	24.1	60.7
2010	263	15.0	17.5	62.7
2011	311	16.5	18.8	73.3
2012	300	17.7	16.8	77.7
2013	351	17.0	20.6	76.9
2014	379	18.0	21.0	74.4
2015	382	19.0	20.1	61
2016	404	17.0	23.7	63.9
2017	435	16.0	27.1	54.5
2018	448	19.0	23.5	65.8
2019	435	23.0	18.9	64.1
2020	467	22.2	20.9	61.2
2021	448	24.9	17.9	63.4
2022	470	22.9	20.4	44.7
2023	420	22.0	19.0	57.9

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 Academy High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	200	12.0	16.7	46.5
2007	326	14.5	22.5	40.2
2008	328	16.5	19.9	47
2009	313	13.0	24.1	60.7
2010	263	15.0	17.5	62.7
2011	311	16.5	18.8	73.3
2012	300	17.7	16.8	77.7
2013	351	17.0	20.6	76.9
2014	379	18.0	21.0	74.4
2015	382	19.0	20.1	61
2016	404	17.0	23.7	63.9
2017	435	16.0	27.1	54.5
2018	448	19.0	23.5	65.8
2019	435	23.0	18.9	64.1
2020	467	22.2	20.9	61.2
2021	448	24.9	17.9	63.4
2022	470	22.9	20.4	44.7
2023	420	22.0	19.0	57.9

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 Academy High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,536
2020	$9,279
2021	$10,867
2022	$11,221
2023	$13,553

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Academy 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 331^st of 411 High schools	Ranks 284^th of 349 High schools	0.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	435	420	3.4%
African American	6	10	66.7%
American Indian	3	1	66.7%
Asian	4	12	200%
Hispanic	366	344	6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	42	45	7.1%
Two or More Races	14	8	42.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	64.1%	57.9%	6.3%

Schools Near Academy 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 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 8th Grade	CMAS Science 11th Grade	Total
Academy High School	Public	9-12	8970 York St	Thornton	80229	Adams County	Mapleton School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 853-1900	420	22	19.0	57.9%	45 (10.7%)	10 (2.4%)	344 (81.9%)	12 (2.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.9%)	19	286^th of 349 public high schools	18.1%		18	284^th of 349 public high schools	18.6%	2	41.0	18.0	49.0	21.0	41.0	13.0								11.3	$13,553
Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts	Public	9-12	8980 York St	Thornton	80299	Denver County	Mapleton School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 853-1270	478	29	16.5	58.2%	64 (13.4%)	10 (2.1%)	380 (79.5%)	6 (1.3%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	13 (2.7%)	14.5	298^th of 349 public high schools	14.6%		10.5	313^th of 349 public high schools	10.3%	15	45.0	10.0	43.0	9.0	42.0	12.0								10.8	$15,741
Mapleton Early Career Preparation	Public	9-12	8980 York St	Thornton	80229	Adams County	Mapleton School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 853-1960	319	17	18.8	58.6%	32 (10.0%)	1 (0.3%)	266 (83.4%)	12 (3.8%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.6%)	12.5	306^th of 349 public high schools	12.3%		14.4	298^th of 349 public high schools	14.6%	8	45.0	12.0	45.0	12.0	25.0	7.0									$13,400
North Valley School for Young Adults	Public	9-12	8990 York St	Thornton	80229	Adams County	Mapleton School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 853-1790	104	5	20.8	46.2%	14 (13.5%)	1 (1.0%)	83 (79.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.8%)								(n/a)															$15,530
New America School - Thornton	Public, Charter	9-12	8978 Washington St	Thornton	80229	Adams County	Adams 12 Five Star Schools	Yes	No	No	No	(303) 991-0130	240	8	31.1	71.7%	14 (5.8%)	4 (1.7%)	222 (92.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)															$12,792
Thornton High School	Public	9-12	9351 Washington Street	Thornton	80229	Adams County	Adams 12 Five Star Schools	No	No	No	No	(720) 972-4800	1,412	75	18.9	74.0%	239 (16.9%)	26 (1.8%)	1,006 (71.2%)	87 (6.2%)	15 (1.1%)	3 (0.2%)	36 (2.5%)	9.2	318^th of 349 public high schools	8.9%		11.7	308^th of 349 public high schools	11.7%	10	34.0	11.0	34.0	12.0	27.0	8.0								10.5	$14,124
Global Leadership Academy	Public	9-12	7480 Conifer Road	Denver	80221	Adams County	Mapleton School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 853-1930	366	18	20.6	79.0%	27 (7.4%)	5 (1.4%)	327 (89.3%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	14.1	301^st of 349 public high schools	13.8%		15	295^th of 349 public high schools	15.5%	6	35.0	10.0	38.0	10.0	42.0	10.0								22.0	$14,044
Performing Arts School on Broadway	Public	7-12	7350 North Broadway Suite 200	Denver	80221	Adams County	Mapleton School District No. 1	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(303) 853-1000	111	9	13.0	57.7%	33 (29.7%)	2 (1.8%)	71 (64.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.5%)								(n/a)							27.3	42.1	36.7	13.6	18.4	16.7	18.9		$13,566
Northglenn High School	Public	9-12	601 West 100th Place	Northglenn	80221	Adams County	Adams 12 Five Star Schools	No	No	No	No	(720) 972-4600	1,959	100	19.6	69.3%	377 (19.2%)	22 (1.1%)	1,451 (74.1%)	46 (2.3%)	11 (0.6%)	4 (0.2%)	48 (2.5%)	22.3	268^th of 349 public high schools	23.2%		23.5	265^th of 349 public high schools	24.1%	3	47.0	21.0	42.0	24.0	39.0	20.0								18.6	$13,335
Vantage Point	Public	6-12	10900 Huron Street	Northglenn	80234	Adams County	Adams 12 Five Star Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(720) 972-5800	343	31	11.1	70.0%	105 (30.6%)	10 (2.9%)	212 (61.8%)	7 (2.0%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.7%)	4.3	344^th of 349 public high schools	1.4%		2.6	346^th of 349 public high schools	0.9%	2					10.0									5.1	$24,752

Frequently Asked Questions about Academy High School

What district is Academy High School in?

Mapleton School District No. 1

Is Academy High School a good school?

Academy High School ranks in the bottom 18.1% of Colorado high schools.

What schools feed into Academy High School?

Academy High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Achieve Academy
Elementary : Adventure Elementary
Elementary : Clayton Partnership School
Elementary : Explore Pk-8
Elementary : Meadow Community School
Elementary : Monterey Community School
Elementary : Welby Community School of the Arts

How many students attend Academy High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 420 students attended Academy High School.

What is the racial makeup of Academy High School?

Students at Academy High School are 82% Hispanic, 11% White, 3% Asian, 2% African American, 2% Two or more races.

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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.