The top reported proficiency rate is 9% in English language arts. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Vaughn Elementary School
Vaughn Elementary School serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Aurora, Colorado, as part of the Adams-Arapahoe 28J school district, also known as Aurora Public Schools. The school building is located in the central part of the city, in a residential area near Interstate 70.
Aurora is a large, sprawling suburban city that lacks a single traditional downtown. Its institutions are spread across a wide footprint. The largest employers include Buckley Space Force Base, the Anschutz Medical Campus, and the city’s two major school districts. The city was one of the fastest-growing in the country during the late 1970s and 1980s, and growth continues along the E-470 corridor near Denver International Airport, where a planned Aerotropolis could eventually bring many more residents. The built environment is predominantly car-dependent, though RTD light rail lines serve parts of the city.
The district that operates Vaughn has undergone significant changes in recent years. Voters approved a bond measure in 2022 that funds facility improvements, safety upgrades, and school modernization across the district. Separately, the district has been undertaking a school consolidation and repurposing process, closing or repurposing underutilized buildings. These initiatives affect school assignments and campus availability for families.
Vaughn Elementary enrolls a student body that is primarily Hispanic, making up roughly three-quarters of the school. The remainder of the student population is composed of Asian, Black, white, multiracial, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native students, in roughly descending order of share. A very high proportion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a high-poverty context. Data on the share of students with individualized education programs and the share classified as English learners were not available in the data reviewed.
State assessment results show that proficiency rates in math and English language arts are well below the midpoint of schools and districts in Arapahoe County. Overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places Vaughn in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in the county. Science results for fifth grade could not be reported due to data suppression, though a large majority of tested students participated in the assessment. A parent looking at these results would want to understand what academic supports and interventions the school provides, and how the school measures student progress beyond state tests.
The school’s housing market context shows home values in the area that are below the state average but above the national average, and home values have declined modestly in the past year. Rental costs are slightly above the national benchmark but below the estimated monthly mortgage payment for a median-priced home, meaning renting is currently less expensive than buying in this area. The national median household income and unemployment rate are stable.
Vaughn Elementary is a regular public school in a large, economically diverse district that has invested in facility improvements while also consolidating underutilized sites. The student body is predominantly low-income and Hispanic, and state test results are low compared to county peers. Families considering this school will want to learn more about the specific academic programs, intervention strategies, and support structures the school offers its students.
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