The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in English language arts. The lowest is 64% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on West Middle School
West Middle School, in the Cherry Creek School District, is a large middle school in Greenwood Village. The school is a regular public school serving grades six through eight. Its enrollment is large for a middle school, and the student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population of moderate size and smaller shares of students who are Asian, Black, or of two or more races. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school sits in a community with a distinctly professional and corporate character, and the housing market is expensive; homes here cost well above the state median, and rents are also high.
Academically, West Middle School performs at a level that positions it clearly apart from most schools in the area. On state assessments, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades was very high. The school’s performance placed it in the top quartile relative to the other districts in Arapahoe County. Reading and language arts scores were strong, with most students meeting the state’s proficiency benchmark. Math proficiency was also high, with a solid majority of students demonstrating mastery. Science scores, tested only at the eighth-grade level, were similarly strong, with most students scoring proficient or above. The school’s consistent across-the-board results indicate a robust academic program. A parent should be aware that the participation rate on state tests was notably lower than full enrollment, a pattern that a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand.
The school is a standard public school, not a charter or magnet. No disciplinary data, course access information, or staffing ratios were reported, so it is not possible to assess those dimensions from the evidence at hand.
Greenwood Village is a corporate-anchored suburb that grew rapidly from the 1970s onward with the development of the Denver Technological Center along the I-25 corridor. There is no traditional downtown; the built environment is a mix of large-lot residential neighborhoods and business parks. Major employers include Empower Retirement, Comcast, and the Cherry Creek School District itself. The community is car-oriented, with daily life organized around driving between homes, office parks, and nearby retail. Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre is a major cultural venue, and RTD light rail connects the area to downtown Denver. The city’s growth has been hemmed in by neighboring Centennial’s boundaries, so development pressure is focused on infill and the DTC area within existing borders. The housing market reflects the community’s affluence: homes are expensive, and rents are high relative to national averages.
For a family considering West Middle School, the picture is one of a large, high-performing school in an affluent, car-dependent suburban setting. The strong academic results, particularly the consistency across subjects, are a clear strength. The school’s peer environment is shaped by a predominantly white student body from a community with a high concentration of professional households and expensive housing. The lack of reported data on course access or staffing means a family may want to look into the availability of advanced coursework and elective offerings directly with the school. The test participation rate also warrants a question. A family choosing this school would be selecting a high-proficiency academic environment in a community that offers a quiet, suburban lifestyle with direct access to major employment centers and light rail into Denver.
See more original research from School Decision →