The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in English language arts. The lowest is 54% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Douglass Elementary School
Douglass Elementary School is a regular public elementary school in Boulder, serving prekindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Boulder Valley School District. It sits in the city of Boulder, a college town shaped by the University of Colorado Boulder campus, research institutes such as NCAR and NOAA, and a walkable downtown centered on the Pearl Street Mall. The school draws from the surrounding residential neighborhoods of east Boulder, an area with a mix of older homes and newer infill development.
Academically, Douglass Elementary delivers strong results. On the Colorado Measures of Academic Success, proficiency rates in both math and English language arts place the school well above average. The school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades ranks in the top quartile relative to other districts in Boulder County, meaning it performs among the highest in the county. Science proficiency, while solid, is softer than math and ELA, a pattern common at the elementary level where science testing begins only in fifth grade. Participation rates on all assessments were high, above nine in ten tested students, giving the results a reliable picture of student achievement.
The student body is comparatively small for an elementary school, with an enrollment that stays steady across grade levels. The demographic profile is predominantly white, with small shares of Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. Economically, a modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a relatively low-poverty population. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available in the source materials, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about special education and language support services.
The housing market around the school is expensive. Home values in the area run well above national and state medians, though they have softened slightly year over year. Rents are also high relative to typical household incomes, making this a costly community for families who do not already own a home or hold a long-term lease. The broader Boulder area has seen a slight population decline from its 2020 peak, and the city’s long tradition of growth management — including building-height limits and open-space preservation — keeps development contained.
At the district level, a large bond issue approved in 2022 is funding safety upgrades, mental health spaces, and classroom additions across all schools, including a new elementary that opened in Erie. A companion mill levy override provides ongoing funding for teacher and staff compensation. At the same time, enrollment districtwide has fallen over the past decade, leading the school board to close two small rural elementary schools at the end of the 2024-25 school year. The impact on Douglass Elementary appears minimal, as the school is in a more densely populated part of Boulder, but families moving to the area may want to keep an eye on long-term boundary and program changes that could accompany further consolidation.
Douglass Elementary fits a family looking for a high-performing elementary school in an expensive, amenity-rich college town with strong civic and outdoor resources. The academic results are clear and strong, the student body is economically homogenous, and the surrounding community offers walkable downtown life, university culture, and easy access to open space. The district’s recent investments signal stability in facilities and staff, while the broader enrollment contraction is worth noting for anyone planning a longer stay.
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