Explore Pk-8

Summary:

Explore Pk-8 is an elementary school in Thornton, Colorado that serves 556 students from preschool through 8th grade, with a predominantly Hispanic student population. However, the school has consistently underperformed academically, ranking in the bottom half of Colorado elementary schools and struggling to support its student subgroups, particularly Hispanic students and those from low-income backgrounds.

Explore Pk-8's academic performance on CMAS tests is significantly below state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 17.3% of Explore Pk-8 students were proficient or better in CMAS English Language Arts, compared to 44.1% statewide and 21.9% in the Mapleton School District No. 1. The school also has a relatively high student-teacher ratio and a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which may be contributing factors to its academic struggles.

When compared to nearby schools in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools and Mapleton School District, Explore Pk-8 is clearly underperforming. Schools like Clayton Partnership School, Meadow Community School, and Hulstrom K-8 consistently outperform Explore Pk-8 on CMAS tests and have higher statewide rankings, suggesting that Explore Pk-8 could benefit from a comprehensive review of its educational practices and support systems to address the specific needs of its diverse student population.


Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-8

 10310 York St
       Thornton, CO  80229


(303) 853-1300

District: Mapleton School District No. 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
868th of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,603 Help


Students who attend Explore Pk-8 usually attend:

High:    Academy High School
    Global Leadership Academy
    Mapleton Early Career Preparation
    Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts

Student/teacher ratio:  20.0 Help
Number of students:  579

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
66.7%
White:
23.3%
Asian:
5.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  64.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Explore Pk-8 ranks worse than 92% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks last among 8 ranked elementary schools in the Mapleton School District No. 1. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.73. (See more...)
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Compare Details Explore Pk-8 ranks worse than 82.5% of middle schools in Colorado. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.97. (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
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Compare Details Explore Pk-8 has the largest elementary school student body size in the Mapleton School District No. 1. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (66.7%), White (23.3%), Asian (5.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 64.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Explore Pk-8 is 20. 9 elementary schools in the Mapleton School District No. 1 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Explore Pk-8 employs 28.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Explore Pk-8 is $13,603, which is the lowest among 11 elementary schools in the Mapleton School District No. 1!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Explore Pk-8:

SchoolDigger ranks Explore Pk-8 868th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Explore Pk-8 in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Explore Pk-8 400th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Explore Pk-8 in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:


Mapleton School District No. 1:

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


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Rank History for Explore Pk-8

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Explore Pk-8

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 15.44 751st 872 13.9%
2010 14.78 801st 925 13.4%
2011 21.44 753rd 935 19.5%
2012 24.24 738th 935 21.1%
2013 17.30 802nd 954 15.9%
2014 14.35 847th 962 12.0%
2015 24.76 693rd 938 26.1%
2016 17.78 758th 914 17.1%
2017 18.07 760th 929 18.2%
2018 15.26 786th 917 14.3%
2019 26.90 696th 965 27.9%
2021 33.97 492nd 710 30.7%
2022 28.46 630th 921 31.6%
2023 14.01 829th 933 11.1%
2024 10.73 868th 943 8.0%
See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Explore Pk-8

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 44.54 178th 332 46.4%
2022 53.26 78th 203 61.6%
2024 14.71 343rd 365 6.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Explore Pk-8

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.14 585th 690 15.2%
2019 45.12 381st 758 49.7%
2022 34.67 386th 595 35.1%
2023 12.00 584th 642 9.0%
2024 7.40 660th 684 3.5%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Explore Pk-8

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.10 618th 693 10.8%
2019 28.12 535th 764 30.0%
2022 24.29 439th 594 26.1%
2023 14.91 568th 649 12.5%
2024 12.29 621st 683 9.1%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Explore Pk-8

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.99 133rd 172 22.7%
2019 53.94 98th 270 63.7%
2022 41.07 80th 153 47.7%
2023 31.79 141st 197 28.4%
2024 24.53 196th 242 19.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: Colorado Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Explore Pk-8

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Rank History for all middle school students at Explore Pk-8

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 24.22 319th 448 28.8%
2023 21.71 362nd 480 24.6%
2024 15.97 400th 485 17.5%
See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Explore Pk-8

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 42.02 102nd 197 48.2%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Explore Pk-8

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 43.35 167th 326 48.8%
2024 16.17 293rd 350 16.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Explore Pk-8

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 26.24 226th 328 31.1%
2024 17.33 290th 357 18.8%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male 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.

Explore Pk-8 Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: Colorado Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Explore Pk-8

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2007 110 6 4 164 5 n/a n/a 0 289
2008 133 8 2 173 2 n/a n/a 0 318
2009 172 6 3 147 0 n/a n/a 0 328
2010 177 2 1 158 1 n/a n/a 0 339
2011 126 8 2 210 2 4 8 0 360
2012 127 7 2 204 2 2 6 0 350
2013 137 7 4 223 2 0 7 0 380
2014 145 9 5 253 5 2 6 0 425
2015 121 8 8 265 6 0 4 0 412
2016 138 8 6 261 6 3 4 0 426
2017 120 8 6 263 7 4 11 0 419
2018 108 7 6 276 6 4 15 0 422
2019 112 6 4 274 5 4 13 0 418
2020 116 6 4 280 3 3 13 0 425
2021 121 8 6 365 3 3 15 0 521
2022 135 6 14 396 1 3 23 0 578
2023 133 8 20 366 1 2 26 0 556
2024 135 4 31 386 1 1 21 0 579

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 Explore Pk-8

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2007 289 12.5 23.1 48.1
2008 318 15.7 20.3 60.4
2009 328 15.0 21.9 56.4
2010 339 15.6 21.6 64.3
2011 360 16.5 21.8 67.8
2012 350 17.6 19.8 70.6
2013 380 18.1 20.9 75.8
2014 425 21.5 19.7 73.9
2015 412 21.0 19.6 65.5
2016 426 23.0 18.5 61
2017 419 22.6 18.5 66.1
2018 422 20.0 21.1 66.1
2019 418 23.0 18.1 61
2020 425 20.6 20.5 60.7
2021 521 24.4 21.3 58
2022 578 26.1 22.1 49.7
2023 556 27.4 20.2 60.4
2024 579 28.8 20.0 64.2

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 Explore Pk-8

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2007 289 12.5 23.1 48.1
2008 318 15.7 20.3 60.4
2009 328 15.0 21.9 56.4
2010 339 15.6 21.6 64.3
2011 360 16.5 21.8 67.8
2012 350 17.6 19.8 70.6
2013 380 18.1 20.9 75.8
2014 425 21.5 19.7 73.9
2015 412 21.0 19.6 65.5
2016 426 23.0 18.5 61
2017 419 22.6 18.5 66.1
2018 422 20.0 21.1 66.1
2019 418 23.0 18.1 61
2020 425 20.6 20.5 60.7
2021 521 24.4 21.3 58
2022 578 26.1 22.1 49.7
2023 556 27.4 20.2 60.4
2024 579 28.8 20.0 64.2

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 Explore Pk-8

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $10,732
2020 $11,096
2021 $11,299
2022 $11,147
2023 $13,603

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Explore Pk-8

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 696th of 965 Elementary schoolsRanks 829th of 933 Elementary schools
 16.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Explore Pk-8)52.317.6
 34.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mapleton School District No. 1)28.117.8
 10.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)41.339.9
 1.4%
3rd Grade Math (Explore Pk-8)47.735.3
 12.4%
   3rd Grade Math (Mapleton School District No. 1)32.524.1
 8.4%
   3rd Grade Math (Colorado)4140.4
 0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Explore Pk-8)2614.8
 11.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Mapleton School District No. 1)32.220.6
 11.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)4843.8
 4.2%
4th Grade Math (Explore Pk-8)1435.7
 21.7%
   4th Grade Math (Mapleton School District No. 1)2212.6
 9.4%
   4th Grade Math (Colorado)33.630.7
 2.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Explore Pk-8)3126.9
 4.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Mapleton School District No. 1)27.525.9
 1.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)48.447.8
 0.6%
5th Grade Math (Explore Pk-8)20.713.7
 7%
   5th Grade Math (Mapleton School District No. 1)14.817.1
 2.3%
   5th Grade Math (Colorado)35.736.5
 0.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Explore Pk-8)13.613.6
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Mapleton School District No. 1)24.521.3
 3.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)43.643.4
 0.2%
6th Grade Math (Explore Pk-8)11.432.7
 21.3%
   6th Grade Math (Mapleton School District No. 1)16.512.7
 3.8%
   6th Grade Math (Colorado)29.526.3
 3.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Explore Pk-8)30.621.9
 8.7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Mapleton School District No. 1)27.621.8
 5.8%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)45.843.7
 2.1%
All Grades Math (Explore Pk-8)2313.7
 9.3%
   All Grades Math (Mapleton School District No. 1)18.613.8
 4.8%
   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 Students418556
 33%
African American68
 33.3%
American Indian51
 80%
Asian420
 400%
Hispanic274366
 33.6%
Pacific Islander42
 50%
White112133
 18.8%
Two or More Races1326
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients61%60.4%
 0.6%


Schools Near Explore Pk-8









Frequently Asked Questions about Explore Pk-8

In the 2023-24 school year, 579 students attended Explore Pk-8.

Explore Pk-8 ranks in the bottom 8.0% of Colorado elementary schools.

Students at Explore Pk-8 are 67% Hispanic, 23% White, 5% Asian, 4% 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.





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