The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in English language arts. The lowest is 37% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on University Hill Elementary School
University Hill Elementary School is a regular public school in Boulder, Colorado, serving preschool through fifth grade within the Boulder Valley School District. The school sits in a neighborhood near the University of Colorado Boulder campus, a setting that shapes much of the city's character with its mix of residential streets, a pedestrian downtown, and a large university presence.
The student body is diverse in socioeconomic background. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the largest ethnic group is Hispanic, representing the majority of enrollment, followed by a white population and smaller shares of students who identify as two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, Black, or Asian. The school has a total enrollment that is moderate for an elementary school serving this grade range, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across kindergarten through fifth grade, plus a preschool program.
On the Colorado Measures of Academic Success, the school's results show a mixed picture. In English language arts, roughly half of students scored at the proficient level or above. In math, the share of students reaching proficiency was lower. In fifth-grade science, about a third of students met the proficiency threshold. Taken together, when compared to other districts in Boulder County, University Hill Elementary's overall proficiency across tested subjects sits above the midpoint, meaning its performance is in the middle-to-upper range of the small set of comparable districts in the county. Participation rates on all three assessments were high, so the results represent nearly all enrolled students.
This school serves only elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Information on programs such as gifted and talented offerings, special education services, or English learner supports was not available in the data provided. The data also did not include information on chronic absenteeism or discipline rates.
Boulder is a college town with a well-educated workforce and a major employment base anchored by the University of Colorado Boulder, federal research institutes like NCAR and NOAA, Ball Corporation, and the school district itself. The city's downtown is built around the pedestrian Pearl Street Mall, and an extensive open space and trail system runs through the city. Housing in the zip code serving this school carries a value well above national averages, and rents are similarly elevated. The housing market here is expensive, which will be a factor for any family considering moving into the attendance area.
The district recently passed a significant bond and a mill levy override, both in 2022, which fund facility upgrades, safety improvements, mental health spaces, and teacher compensation. At the same time, the district has seen enrollment decline over the past decade and voted to close two small elementary schools at the end of the 2024-25 school year due to low enrollment and high per-pupil costs. Those closures point to broader enrollment pressures in the district, though University Hill's own enrollment appears stable for now.
For a family considering this school, the key considerations are the academic performance, which is mixed but in the middle range for the area, and the cost of housing in Boulder. The school's location in a university-centered neighborhood gives it a particular character. The substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch means the school serves a population with significant economic diversity. That, combined with the proficiency results, is worth a conversation with the school directly to understand what academic supports and enrichment opportunities are in place.
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