Thornton Middle School

Summary:

Thornton Middle School is a public middle school in Thornton, Colorado, serving 732 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Adams 12 Five Star Schools district, which is ranked 53 out of 116 school districts in the state.

Thornton Middle School faces significant academic challenges, consistently ranking among the lowest-performing middle schools in Colorado. On statewide CMAS assessments, the school's performance is significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. This is particularly true for Hispanic students and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, who make up a large portion of the school's population. In comparison, nearby schools like Shadow Ridge Middle School and Silver Hills Middle School generally perform better academically.

Thornton Middle School also has a relatively high student-teacher ratio, ranging from 15.5 to 17.2 students per teacher, and an exceptionally high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 79.75% to 89.75% over the past three school years. These factors may contribute to the school's struggles and suggest that targeted interventions and additional resources could be beneficial in addressing the academic needs of its student population.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 9451 Hoffman Way
       Thornton, CO  80229-3535


(720) 972-5160

District: Adams 12 Five Star Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
481st of 485 Colorado Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,534 Help


Students who attend Thornton Middle School usually attend:

High:    Thornton High School

Feeder schools for Thornton Middle School:

Elementary:    Coronado Hills Elementary School
    McElwain Elementary School
    North Star Elementary School
    Rocky Mountain Elementary School
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  16.5 Help
Number of students:  719

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
75.9%
White:
12.9%
Asian:
7.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  91.2% Help


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 Compare Thornton Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Thornton Middle School ranks worse than 99.2% of middle schools in Colorado. It also ranks last among 7 ranked middle schools in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 5.17. (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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (75.9%), White (12.9%), Asian (7.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 91.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Thornton Middle School is 16.5, which is the 3rd best among 7 middle schools in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Thornton Middle School employs 43.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Thornton Middle School is $14,534, which is the 3rd highest among 7 middle schools in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Thornton Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Thornton Middle School 481st of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Thornton Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Adams 12 Five Star Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Adams 12 Five Star Schools 53rd of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Thornton Middle School?

Rank History for Thornton Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Thornton Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 8.63 310th 336 7.7%
2005 7.20 321st 340 5.6%
2006 5.26 327th 346 5.5%
2007 5.41 341st 360 5.3%
2008 4.97 349th 362 3.6%
2009 5.80 359th 377 4.8%
2010 5.65 394th 409 3.7%
2011 5.41 407th 422 3.6%
2012 4.07 413th 425 2.8%
2013 2.86 445th 454 2.0%
2014 6.39 443rd 461 3.9%
2015 12.92 409th 436 6.2%
2016 12.86 371st 400 7.3%
2017 13.18 384th 424 9.4%
2018 7.04 407th 418 2.6%
2019 8.08 438th 458 4.4%
2021 8.52 360th 369 2.4%
2022 7.75 434th 448 3.1%
2023 8.81 466th 480 2.9%
2024 5.17 481st 485 0.8%
See the entire list of Colorado Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Thornton Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.38 218th 222 1.8%
2019 11.75 235th 240 2.1%
2021 11.84 114th 114 0.0%
2022 13.20 192nd 197 2.5%
2023 19.62 212th 241 12.0%
2024 5.01 244th 244 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Thornton Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 4.90 309th 315 1.9%
2019 6.38 344th 352 2.3%
2021 7.06 254th 254 0.0%
2022 6.00 320th 326 1.8%
2023 9.35 341st 363 6.1%
2024 4.77 348th 350 0.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Thornton Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.43 314th 317 0.9%
2019 7.91 333rd 343 2.9%
2021 6.59 249th 249 0.0%
2022 6.91 324th 328 1.2%
2023 7.31 354th 356 0.6%
2024 5.00 357th 357 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Thornton Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.90 161st 165 2.4%
2019 12.59 212th 220 3.6%
2021 15.30 80th 83 3.6%
2022 10.68 165th 169 2.4%
2023 14.43 179th 198 9.6%
2024 7.39 199th 199 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Thornton Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 1.75 199th 199 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle 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.

Thornton Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Open Quote I’m not going to get into the specifics, but this school was the worst place I’ve ever been and made me decide that I never want to go to public school ever again, lest it be even slightly comparable to this place. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, May 10, 2018

Open Quote The school secretary is very rude! My son is bullied at school often and is told he can talk to "Myers" but anytime he goes into the office because he is scared or he needs someone to talk to he is sent away in a rude manner. I am very proud to say none of my kids or other family members will NOT be attending this school next year or any of the following years. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Thornton Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 406 15 11 158 9 n/a n/a 0 599
1989 385 11 7 156 7 n/a n/a 0 566
1990 365 9 2 174 3 n/a n/a 0 553
1991 375 13 8 187 7 n/a n/a 0 590
1992 368 14 4 177 5 n/a n/a 0 568
1993 408 22 6 171 9 n/a n/a 0 616
1994 558 23 13 252 16 n/a n/a 0 862
1995 569 23 17 301 5 n/a n/a 0 915
1996 569 23 17 301 5 n/a n/a 0 915
1997 503 23 21 307 7 n/a n/a 0 861
1998 495 23 23 319 8 n/a n/a 0 868
1999 469 37 18 316 9 n/a n/a 0 849
2000 494 40 22 357 12 n/a n/a 0 925
2001 459 32 29 422 8 n/a n/a 0 950
2002 429 26 20 480 9 n/a n/a 0 964
2003 429 26 20 480 9 n/a n/a 0 964
2004 329 25 28 501 6 n/a n/a 0 889
2005 276 25 29 476 8 n/a n/a 0 814
2006 193 21 18 513 9 n/a n/a 0 754
2007 126 21 18 478 11 n/a n/a 0 654
2008 135 18 20 508 8 n/a n/a 0 689
2009 138 19 34 515 6 n/a n/a 0 712
2010 137 21 28 491 2 n/a n/a 0 679
2011 143 3 7 517 0 2 2 0 674
2012 124 27 18 522 3 2 6 0 702
2013 139 24 19 606 4 1 3 0 796
2014 159 23 21 631 10 1 4 0 849
2015 143 39 16 731 11 0 6 0 946
2016 125 36 22 717 12 0 13 0 925
2017 110 36 17 739 8 0 13 0 923
2018 107 37 18 738 8 1 16 0 925
2019 108 39 18 759 8 1 16 0 949
2020 125 47 17 785 5 2 13 0 994
2021 97 41 18 727 6 3 16 0 908
2022 104 28 21 615 8 4 15 0 795
2023 81 26 38 573 2 2 10 0 732
2024 93 16 52 546 2 1 9 0 719

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 Thornton Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 599 41.6 14.3 n/a
1989 566 32.5 17.4 23.5
1990 553 31.3 17.6 27.8
1991 590 37.7 15.6 30.7
1992 568 34.0 16.7 38
1993 616 33.7 18.3 36
1994 862 39.5 21.8 33.9
1995 915 46.5 19.7 52.3
1996 915 46.5 19.7 52.3
1997 861 50.0 17.2 35.9
1998 868 60.0 14.5 37.4
1999 849 46.2 18.4 33.1
2000 925 48.0 19.3 44.3
2001 950 49.0 19.4 51.2
2002 964 58.0 16.6 55.3
2003 964 58.0 16.6 55.3
2004 889 54.8 16.2 62.9
2005 814 45.4 17.9 63.3
2006 754 46.2 16.3 73.7
2007 654 43.0 15.2 77.4
2008 689 44.6 15.4 80.8
2009 712 44.0 16.2 80.8
2010 679 44.0 15.4 84.7
2011 674 39.0 17.2 87.7
2012 702 41.0 17.1 88.6
2013 796 42.3 18.8 85.2
2014 849 52.0 16.3 82.6
2015 946 55.0 17.2 73.7
2016 925 54.0 17.1 80.3
2017 923 57.5 16.0 83.1
2018 925 54.5 16.9 83.9
2019 949 57.0 16.6 76.7
2020 994 58.0 17.1 78.2
2021 908 58.0 15.6 83
2022 795 51.0 15.5 79.7
2023 732 42.5 17.2 89.8
2024 719 43.5 16.5 91.2

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 Thornton Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 599 41.6 14.3 n/a
1989 566 32.5 17.4 23.5
1990 553 31.3 17.6 27.8
1991 590 37.7 15.6 30.7
1992 568 34.0 16.7 38
1993 616 33.7 18.3 36
1994 862 39.5 21.8 33.9
1995 915 46.5 19.7 52.3
1996 915 46.5 19.7 52.3
1997 861 50.0 17.2 35.9
1998 868 60.0 14.5 37.4
1999 849 46.2 18.4 33.1
2000 925 48.0 19.3 44.3
2001 950 49.0 19.4 51.2
2002 964 58.0 16.6 55.3
2003 964 58.0 16.6 55.3
2004 889 54.8 16.2 62.9
2005 814 45.4 17.9 63.3
2006 754 46.2 16.3 73.7
2007 654 43.0 15.2 77.4
2008 689 44.6 15.4 80.8
2009 712 44.0 16.2 80.8
2010 679 44.0 15.4 84.7
2011 674 39.0 17.2 87.7
2012 702 41.0 17.1 88.6
2013 796 42.3 18.8 85.2
2014 849 52.0 16.3 82.6
2015 946 55.0 17.2 73.7
2016 925 54.0 17.1 80.3
2017 923 57.5 16.0 83.1
2018 925 54.5 16.9 83.9
2019 949 57.0 16.6 76.7
2020 994 58.0 17.1 78.2
2021 908 58.0 15.6 83
2022 795 51.0 15.5 79.7
2023 732 42.5 17.2 89.8
2024 719 43.5 16.5 91.2

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 Thornton Middle School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $11,316
2020 $11,229
2021 $12,286
2022 $13,347
2023 $14,534

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Thornton Middle 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 438th of 458 Middle schoolsRanks 466th of 480 Middle schools
 1.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Thornton Middle School)14.314.4
 0.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)39.938.3
 1.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)43.643.4
 0.2%
6th Grade Math (Thornton Middle School)8.15
 3.1%
   6th Grade Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)3226.3
 5.7%
   6th Grade Math (Colorado)29.526.3
 3.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Thornton Middle School)17.117.2
 0.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)46.743.2
 3.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.545
 1.5%
7th Grade Math (Thornton Middle School)12.44.8
 7.6%
   7th Grade Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)33.922.7
 11.2%
   7th Grade Math (Colorado)31.625.1
 6.5%
8th Grade Science (Thornton Middle School)77.2
 0.2%
   8th Grade Science (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)34.229.4
 4.8%
   8th Grade Science (Colorado)31.531.3
 0.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Thornton Middle School)17.317.6
 0.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)47.336.9
 10.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.942.4
 4.5%
8th Grade Math (Thornton Middle School)9.18.1
 1%
   8th Grade Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)40.130
 10.1%
   8th Grade Math (Colorado)36.932.7
 4.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Thornton Middle School)16.216.4
 0.2%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)44.740.9
 3.8%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)45.843.7
 2.1%
All Grades Math (Thornton Middle School)9.84.6
 5.2%
   All Grades Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)3532
 3%
   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 Students949732
 22.9%
African American3926
 33.3%
American Indian82
 75%
Asian1838
 111.1%
Hispanic759573
 24.5%
Pacific Islander12
 100%
White10881
 25%
Two or More Races1610
 37.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients76.7%89.8%
 13%


Schools Near Thornton Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Thornton Middle School

Students at Thornton Middle School are 76% Hispanic, 13% White, 7% Asian, 2% African American, 1% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 719 students attended Thornton Middle School.

Students who attend Thornton Middle School usually go on to attend Thornton High School

Thornton Middle School ranks in the bottom 0.8% of Colorado middle schools.


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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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