Westgate Community School

Summary:

Westgate Community School is an alternative public charter school serving grades K-12 in Thornton, Colorado, which is part of the Adams 12 Five Star Schools district. The school has a diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 61.11% White, 22.41% Hispanic, and smaller percentages of other races.

Westgate Community School stands out for its strong academic performance, outperforming the district and state averages in several key test score metrics. The school's 5th and 8th grade science proficiency rates are significantly higher than the district and state, and its 7th grade ELA proficiency and SAT scores in reading/writing and math are also above average. Additionally, Westgate has a relatively low percentage of free/reduced lunch recipients at 20.19%, compared to the district average of 32-33%. However, the school's student-teacher ratio of 20.3 is higher than the district average, which could be an area for improvement.

Compared to nearby charter schools like Prospect Ridge Academy and Stargate Charter School, Westgate's test scores are generally lower, but still above the district and state averages. This suggests Westgate is providing a quality education, but there may be opportunities to learn from the instructional practices and resources of higher-performing charter schools in the area. As the school's racial demographics shift, with a decrease in White students and an increase in Hispanic and multiracial students, Westgate may need to adapt to continue serving its diverse student population effectively.


Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-12

 12500 Washington St
       Thornton, CO  80241


(303) 452-0967

District: Adams 12 Five Star Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
480th of 943 Colorado Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,099 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  20.3 Help
Number of students:  540

Racial breakdown:

White:
61.1%
Hispanic:
22.4%
Asian:
8.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  20.2% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Westgate Community School ranks worse than 50.9% of elementary schools in Colorado. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.04. (See more...)
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Compare Details Westgate Community School ranks better than 60% of middle schools in Colorado. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.43. (See more...)
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Compare Details Westgate Community School ranks better than 78.2% of high schools in Colorado. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 75.72. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Westgate Community School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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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 Westgate Community School has the largest alternative school student body size in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Westgate Community School is $11,099. 2 alternative schools in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Westgate Community School:

SchoolDigger ranks Westgate Community School 480th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Westgate Community School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Westgate Community School 194th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Westgate Community School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Westgate Community School 76th of 349 Colorado public high schools. (See Westgate Community School in the ranking list.)

Adams 12 Five Star Schools:

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


What do you think?

Your rating for Westgate Community School?

Rank History for Westgate Community School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Westgate Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 74.27 221st 925 76.1%
2011 65.92 332nd 935 64.5%
2012 50.71 499th 935 46.6%
2013 48.04 534th 954 44.0%
2014 58.25 410th 962 57.4%
2015 53.91 392nd 938 58.2%
2016 40.80 502nd 914 45.1%
2017 64.27 293rd 929 68.5%
2018 56.58 353rd 917 61.5%
2019 57.06 388th 965 59.8%
2021 32.21 507th 710 28.6%
2022 40.28 508th 921 44.8%
2023 37.63 535th 933 42.7%
2024 46.04 480th 943 49.1%
See the entire list of Colorado Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Westgate Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.72 324th 690 53.0%
2019 52.25 330th 758 56.5%
2022 35.02 383rd 595 35.6%
2023 37.37 401st 642 37.5%
2024 43.01 389th 684 43.1%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Westgate Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.24 423rd 693 39.0%
2019 51.97 331st 764 56.7%
2022 38.70 350th 594 41.1%
2023 33.94 409th 649 37.0%
2024 42.87 379th 683 44.5%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Westgate Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 32.53 412th 596 30.9%
2022 27.78 366th 454 19.4%
2023 23.78 437th 525 16.8%
2024 25.36 434th 539 19.5%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Westgate Community School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Westgate Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 41.58 258th 409 36.9%
2011 61.95 161st 422 61.8%
2012 62.50 161st 425 62.1%
2013 66.18 147th 454 67.6%
2014 77.72 86th 461 81.3%
2015 72.49 83rd 436 81.0%
2016 62.47 127th 400 68.3%
2021 49.16 164th 369 55.6%
2022 63.46 136th 448 69.6%
2023 69.26 121st 480 74.8%
2024 52.43 194th 485 60.0%
See the entire list of Colorado Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Westgate Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 53.48 156th 352 55.7%
2022 58.23 119th 326 63.5%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Westgate Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.03 162nd 317 48.9%
2022 65.89 87th 328 73.5%
2023 65.28 97th 356 72.8%
2024 57.98 120th 357 66.4%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Westgate Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.22 122nd 199 38.7%
2019 43.74 154th 283 45.6%
2021 45.63 105th 203 48.3%
2022 42.54 152nd 265 42.6%
2023 56.73 111th 286 61.2%
2024 41.98 152nd 273 44.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Westgate Community School

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Rank History for all high school students at Westgate Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2013 51.30 182nd 349 47.9%
2014 91.41 17th 369 95.4%
2015 69.75 45th 292 84.6%
2016 53.55 76th 255 70.2%
2018 82.52 53rd 388 86.3%
2019 81.84 64th 411 84.4%
2023 80.37 65th 349 81.4%
2024 75.72 76th 349 78.2%
See the entire list of Colorado Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school White students at Westgate Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 52.83 105th 234 55.1%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative 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.

Westgate Community 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: 2.4)
29%

0%

0%

29%

43%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, April 27, 2024

Open Quote Really disappointed in our experience at Westgate. We found the students to be unwelcoming to new students, extremely immature. We experienced bullying, classes mates who did not respect personal boundaries or informed consent. We also experienced teachers who did not have a mastery in what they are teaching. The singular HS science teacher for instance teaches, earth science, biology, chemistry, environmental science and forensic science. How can she possibly have a high understanding all of these extremely different subjects? The answer is she can’t and it shows. The school lunches are awful. They are basically TV dinners that are soggy and unappetizing.
We feel as though we were highly misled when we toured the school. They are great marketers but have little follow through. Looking forward to a fresh start somewhere else next fall. Close Quote


by a parent
Saturday, January 13, 2018

Open Quote I’ll start by saying that writing this review has taken a lot of thought. I’m not in the habit of reviewing on-line, but, I think this is very important for parents who may be considering Westgate.

Headline first, the executive director and the dean demonstrated to me that are simply not capable of supporting the needs of kids with a 504, IEP or any unique learning profile. Moreover, although they always have time to promote the school and any positive recognition that they can get, they just won’t have tough conversations about parent and student engagement.

There was some good stuff to mention. The teachers get one extra star for being nice, dedicated and energetic. In fact, I was 100 sold on the school during my campus visits and the shadow day. Just like anywhere, some teachers are stronger than others, but, I think that most tried hard and my child did fine in class.

The really big problem with Westgate is that the actions of the administration don’t support any type of authentic partnership and communication with students and families. Everything seems fine and first glance (and they certainly talk a good talk), but, if a 504, IEP, or a social challenge exists, then the school dean, executive director and staff just can’t handle the challenge. They make A LOT of excuses and they always focus more on ways to protect their reputation and public image than on the kids well being.

In other words, I found the school leadership to be so focused on their own status that they isolate parents and students from conversations that don’t reflect the perfect image that they want to promote. To put it bluntly, my child’s learning profile was absolutely neglected. They are quick to ask for cheerleaders from the community and they never accepted any crucial conversations.

Like some of you who are reading this, I simply wanted an environment in which my child could thrive. I was expecting open and honest communication and instead I actually even felt bullied by the dean and executive director (and so did my child). Crazy, right?!?

Having the privilege of seeing first hand what great leadership at Adams 12 can look like at another school, there is no way I could ever trust Westgate to care for anyone important to me.

In short, my reflection is that the actions of the administration are ironic in the face of their stated school values, frustrating to me as a parent and extremely sad in he context to my child’s experience. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, August 7, 2014

Open Quote Some great individuals teachers at this school. Unfortunately to many of the good teachers keep leaving. Future parents...ask about staff turnover. Many of their departures were due to issues with the school management. I live in Broomfield and have run across a few of the ex-teachers club. Needless to say their inside perspective was interesting, but not surprising. I've been going to the school meetings for several years now and its easy to see that although the top level management of the school wanted to do great things,they don't have a plan or the ability to achieve it. They may get there one day, but not in time for my child to get the education she deserves and needs to succeed in life. We aren't going back this year. I would only go to this school if I had no better option. Fortunately Broomfield has some very good local schools. If you really want to go the charter route, go to Stargate, Prospect Ridge, Hulstrom or STEM, not here!!! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Westgate Community School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2010 122 2 9 9 0 n/a n/a 0 142
2011 182 4 4 19 0 0 4 0 213
2012 243 3 11 35 0 0 9 0 301
2013 304 4 12 56 0 0 15 0 391
2014 302 1 13 56 1 0 17 0 390
2015 307 4 15 56 0 0 8 0 390
2016 329 6 29 76 1 0 10 0 451
2017 367 5 27 80 1 0 12 0 492
2018 344 9 33 100 3 0 19 0 508
2019 343 10 29 90 4 2 27 0 505
2020 360 9 34 93 1 0 26 0 523
2021 348 7 41 94 1 0 24 0 515
2022 347 7 44 116 2 3 30 0 549
2023 330 6 43 121 2 2 36 0 540

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 Westgate Community School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 142 10.0 14.0 7
2011 213 15.2 13.9 1.4
2012 301 21.4 14.0 4
2013 391 23.5 16.6 7.7
2014 390 26.7 14.5 4.4
2015 390 21.0 18.5 9.7
2016 451 25.0 18.0 19.1
2017 492 26.9 18.2 14.6
2018 508 27.8 18.2 16.1
2019 505 27.8 18.1 14.9
2020 523 30.9 16.9 13.8
2021 515 27.8 18.4 17.7
2022 549 28.7 19.1 14.4
2023 540 26.5 20.3 20.2

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 Westgate Community School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 142 10.0 14.0 7
2011 213 15.2 13.9 1.4
2012 301 21.4 14.0 4
2013 391 23.5 16.6 7.7
2014 390 26.7 14.5 4.4
2015 390 21.0 18.5 9.7
2016 451 25.0 18.0 19.1
2017 492 26.9 18.2 14.6
2018 508 27.8 18.2 16.1
2019 505 27.8 18.1 14.9
2020 523 30.9 16.9 13.8
2021 515 27.8 18.4 17.7
2022 549 28.7 19.1 14.4
2023 540 26.5 20.3 20.2

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 Westgate Community School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $8,557
2020 $9,402
2021 $9,328
2022 $9,960
2023 $11,099

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Westgate Community 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 388th of 965 Elementary schoolsRanks 535th of 933 Elementary schools
 17.1%
Ranks 64th of 411 High schoolsRanks 65th of 349 High schools
 3.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Westgate Community School)52.437.8
 14.6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)38.238.7
 0.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)41.339.9
 1.4%
3rd Grade Math (Westgate Community School)45.228.9
 16.3%
   3rd Grade Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)35.335.8
 0.5%
   3rd Grade Math (Colorado)4140.4
 0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Westgate Community School)55.831.8
 24%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)46.543.5
 3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)4843.8
 4.2%
4th Grade Math (Westgate Community School)16.720.5
 3.8%
   4th Grade Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)32.134.5
 2.4%
   4th Grade Math (Colorado)33.632.7
 0.9%
5th Grade Science (Westgate Community School)41.731.8
 9.9%
   5th Grade Science (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)39.832
 7.8%
   5th Grade Science (Colorado)35.933.9
 2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Westgate Community School)59.244.4
 14.8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)49.244.2
 5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)48.447.8
 0.6%
5th Grade Math (Westgate Community School)35.48.9
 26.5%
   5th Grade Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)36.837.2
 0.4%
   5th Grade Math (Colorado)35.736.5
 0.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Westgate Community School)56.167.5
 11.4%
   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%
All Grades English Language Arts (Westgate Community School)55.649.2
 6.4%
   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 (Westgate Community School)31.126.3
 4.8%
   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 Students505540
 6.9%
African American106
 40%
American Indian42
 50%
Asian2943
 48.3%
Hispanic90121
 34.4%
Pacific Islander22
White343330
 3.8%
Two or More Races2736
 33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients14.9%20.2%
 5.3%


Schools Near Westgate Community School









Frequently Asked Questions about Westgate Community School

In the 2022-23 school year, 540 students attended Westgate Community School.

Students at Westgate Community School are 61% White, 22% Hispanic, 8% Asian, 7% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Westgate Community School ranks 480th of 943 Colorado alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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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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