The top reported proficiency rate is 12% in English language arts. The lowest is 3% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Aurora Hills Middle School
Aurora Hills Middle School is a regular public school in Aurora, Colorado, serving grades six through eight as part of the Aurora Joint District No. 28. It sits within a sprawling, predominantly car-dependent suburban city that is the third-largest in the state. The school is among a group of middle schools in this district, and the student body is large for a single middle school grade band.
The student population is diverse in composition. The largest share of students is Hispanic, followed by Black and White students, with smaller shares of Asian, two-or-more-races, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need. Data on the share of students with individualized education programs or who are English learners was not available.
State testing results are a central feature of this school's profile, and they point to a significant academic challenge. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above was well below the midpoint when compared with other schools across Arapahoe County. In English language arts, proficiency was also low relative to the county. In science, where testing occurs only in grade eight, proficiency was very low. The school’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects placed it in the bottom quartile among Arapahoe County districts. A parent considering this school would want to ask how the school is working to raise these figures and what academic supports are in place.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were also not available. Course access information and staffing data are likewise absent from the record.
The wider Aurora district has taken steps that may affect families. Voters approved a bond measure in late 2022 to fund facility improvements, safety upgrades, and school modernization across the district. Separately, the district is actively pursuing a school consolidation and repurposing process, which could change which buildings are open and how attendance boundaries function. Both of these are publicly reported initiatives worth a conversation with the district if a family is deciding where to live or enroll.
Housing in the area around the school has seen a modest decline in both home values and rents over the past year, which may affect affordability conversations. The city of Aurora continues to grow, particularly along the corridor near Denver International Airport, and the Anschutz Medical Campus is a major employment anchor. Buckley Space Force Base and the University of Colorado Hospital are also large employers. The larger context is a city with distributed civic life and a network of light rail and bus service, not a single walkable downtown.
Aurora Hills Middle School is a large school with a high-need student body and test results that are well below average in its county. The district is investing in facilities and consolidating underused buildings, both of which could affect the school experience. For a family weighing options, the central question is how the school is addressing its academic performance and what programs or interventions are currently in place.
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