STEM Launch

Summary:

STEM Launch is a public magnet elementary and middle school (grades K-8) located in Thornton, Colorado, serving a diverse student population that is predominantly Hispanic (around 77-80%) and from low-income families (around 70-75% free/reduced lunch recipients).

Despite its small class sizes, with a relatively low student-teacher ratio ranging from 14.7 to 16.6 students per teacher, STEM Launch has consistently underperformed compared to district and state averages on standardized tests. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 31.2% of STEM Launch students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 41.4% for the Adams 12 Five Star Schools district and 44.1% for the state. In Math, STEM Launch's proficiency rate was just 20.1%, far below the district's 33.3% and the state's 34.2%. The school's performance gaps are particularly pronounced for Hispanic students and students from low-income backgrounds.

When compared to nearby elementary schools, such as Westview Elementary and Mesa Elementary, STEM Launch consistently underperforms on academic measures. The nearby Crown Pointe Charter Academy also significantly outperforms STEM Launch. This trend of declining performance over time, with STEM Launch's statewide ranking dropping from 566th out of 914 Colorado elementary schools in 2014-2015 to 726th out of 943 in 2023-2024, suggests that the school is struggling to improve student outcomes and may be falling further behind the state average.


Detail:

Public, Magnet K-8

 9450 Pecos Street
       Thornton, CO  80260-5923


(720) 972-5120

District: Adams 12 Five Star Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
726th of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,271 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  15.4 Help
Number of students:  748

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
76.1%
White:
19.3%
Two or more races:
2.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  78.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details STEM Launch ranks worse than 77% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks 20th among 32 ranked elementary 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 21.34. (See more...)
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Compare Details STEM Launch ranks worse than 65.2% of middle schools in Colorado. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.79. (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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (76.1%), White (19.3%), two or more races (2.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 78.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at STEM Launch is 15.4, which is the 12th best among 32 elementary schools in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare STEM Launch employs 48.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at STEM Launch is $15,271. 26 elementary schools in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

STEM Launch:

SchoolDigger ranks STEM Launch 726th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See STEM Launch 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 STEM Launch 316th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See STEM Launch 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.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for STEM Launch.

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Rank History for STEM Launch

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at STEM Launch

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2015 36.02 566th 938 39.7%
2016 32.43 589th 914 35.6%
2017 25.49 679th 929 26.9%
2018 20.48 715th 917 22.0%
2019 22.90 740th 965 23.3%
2021 12.88 663rd 710 6.6%
2022 20.07 721st 921 21.7%
2023 27.26 639th 933 31.5%
2024 21.34 726th 943 23.0%
See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at STEM Launch

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.69 293rd 308 4.9%
2019 35.63 230th 332 30.7%
2022 21.63 177th 203 12.8%
2023 29.33 207th 265 21.9%
2024 36.93 235th 365 35.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at STEM Launch

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.23 630th 690 8.7%
2019 20.74 609th 758 19.7%
2022 16.81 506th 595 15.0%
2023 17.19 542nd 642 15.6%
2024 12.20 625th 684 8.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at STEM Launch

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.68 575th 693 17.0%
2019 19.07 619th 764 19.0%
2022 14.92 518th 594 12.8%
2023 27.16 467th 649 28.0%
2024 22.71 510th 683 25.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at STEM Launch

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.50 143rd 172 16.9%
2019 32.80 185th 270 31.5%
2022 25.97 114th 153 25.5%
2023 33.00 136th 197 31.0%
2024 32.57 165th 242 31.8%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at STEM Launch

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 55.73 233rd 525 55.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for STEM Launch

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Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at STEM Launch

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2015 28.18 314th 436 28.0%
2016 22.46 322nd 400 19.5%
2017 20.34 336th 424 20.8%
2018 19.26 334th 418 20.1%
2019 18.14 371st 458 19.0%
2022 23.61 324th 448 27.7%
2023 36.85 278th 480 42.1%
2024 28.79 316th 485 34.8%
See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at STEM Launch

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 23.01 199th 240 17.1%
2022 26.03 152nd 197 22.8%
2023 45.33 112th 241 53.5%
2024 37.68 149th 244 38.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at STEM Launch

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 9.16 294th 315 6.7%
2019 13.13 308th 352 12.5%
2022 20.24 260th 326 20.2%
2023 29.19 230th 363 36.6%
2024 26.60 244th 350 30.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at STEM Launch

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.48 232nd 317 26.8%
2019 20.73 263rd 343 23.3%
2023 42.32 181st 356 49.2%
2024 27.82 248th 357 30.5%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at STEM Launch

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.50 134th 165 18.8%
2019 20.17 188th 220 14.5%
2022 24.86 129th 169 23.7%
2023 46.80 95th 198 52.0%
2024 38.74 109th 199 45.2%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at STEM Launch

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 48.12 134th 283 52.7%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary 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.

STEM Launch Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Open Quote This school is HORRIBLE. They had a child almost abducted outside the school last year and then this yr had a 7 year old outside for an hr. They do not grade fair. They lower the students grades and then raise them at the end of the year for addition funding. They are completely about the union. school has major known bullying issues as well. Don't make the mistake I did changing my GT student to this school. Close Quote


by a parent
Friday, February 5, 2021

Open Quote I like the school because they help our kids all the ways, in person,or online learneng, my kids love it 👍 Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, July 16, 2018

Open Quote Although the teachers are good (some great), the administration is delusional. There is a horrible bullying problem and nothing is done about it. Issues must be escalated to the district-level. We know numerous parents who have left the school and many others who are desperately seeking to do so. We did not feel at all safe with our kids at this school and although some teachers are very dedicated, the overall environment is toxic and the horrible test scores mean that many teachers have to "teach down." When we transferred to a better school, they were far ahead of where this school was. Close Quote



Enrollment information for STEM Launch

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2013 224 18 24 623 4 0 12 0 905
2014 173 11 30 541 4 0 14 0 773
2015 214 12 33 502 5 0 15 0 781
2016 204 9 31 593 5 0 10 0 852
2017 208 6 35 640 4 0 12 0 905
2018 182 10 24 620 3 0 15 0 854
2019 163 7 16 615 5 0 9 0 815
2020 148 6 9 614 3 0 11 0 791
2021 138 2 6 658 3 0 18 0 825
2022 141 2 6 602 4 0 15 0 770
2023 142 2 7 571 4 0 12 0 738
2024 144 5 6 569 4 0 20 0 748

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 STEM Launch

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2013 905 45.7 19.7 81.4
2014 773 48.5 15.9 78.4
2015 781 46.0 16.9 68.8
2016 852 52.0 16.3 72.3
2017 905 51.0 17.7 74.5
2018 854 52.5 16.2 74
2019 815 46.0 17.7 69.6
2020 791 53.0 14.9 72.6
2021 825 49.5 16.6 75.8
2022 770 52.0 14.8 70.1
2023 738 50.0 14.7 75.1
2024 748 48.5 15.4 78.2

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 STEM Launch

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2013 905 45.7 19.7 81.4
2014 773 48.5 15.9 78.4
2015 781 46.0 16.9 68.8
2016 852 52.0 16.3 72.3
2017 905 51.0 17.7 74.5
2018 854 52.5 16.2 74
2019 815 46.0 17.7 69.6
2020 791 53.0 14.9 72.6
2021 825 49.5 16.6 75.8
2022 770 52.0 14.8 70.1
2023 738 50.0 14.7 75.1
2024 748 48.5 15.4 78.2

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 STEM Launch

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $10,754
2020 $12,627
2021 $12,231
2022 $13,610
2023 $15,271

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

Impact of COVID-19 on STEM Launch

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 740th of 965 Elementary schoolsRanks 639th of 933 Elementary schools
 8.2%
Ranks 371st of 458 Middle schoolsRanks 278th of 480 Middle schools
 23.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (STEM Launch)16.719.2
 2.5%
   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 (STEM Launch)16.727.4
 10.7%
   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 (STEM Launch)47.828.2
 19.6%
   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 (STEM Launch)37.721.1
 16.6%
   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 (STEM Launch)16.916.4
 0.5%
   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 (STEM Launch)23.835.9
 12.1%
   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 (STEM Launch)21.736.8
 15.1%
   5th Grade Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)36.837.2
 0.4%
   5th Grade Math (Colorado)35.736.5
 0.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (STEM Launch)24.639.8
 15.2%
   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 (STEM Launch)1917.3
 1.7%
   6th Grade Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)3228.2
 3.8%
   6th Grade Math (Colorado)29.528.2
 1.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (STEM Launch)27.342.7
 15.4%
   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 (STEM Launch)15.822.7
 6.9%
   7th Grade Math (Adams 12 Five Star Schools)33.924.7
 9.2%
   7th Grade Math (Colorado)31.626.3
 5.3%
8th Grade Science (STEM Launch)13.522.1
 8.6%
   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 (STEM Launch)2647.9
 21.9%
   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 (STEM Launch)24.816.5
 8.3%
   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 (STEM Launch)27.236.6
 9.4%
   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 (STEM Launch)21.823.1
 1.3%
   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 Students815738
 9.4%
African American72
 71.4%
American Indian54
 20%
Asian167
 56.3%
Hispanic615571
 7.2%
Pacific Islander00
White163142
 12.9%
Two or More Races912
 33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients69.6%75.1%
 5.5%


Schools Near STEM Launch









Frequently Asked Questions about STEM Launch

Students at STEM Launch are 76% Hispanic, 19% White, 3% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 748 students attended STEM Launch.

STEM Launch ranks in the bottom 23.0% of Colorado elementary 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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