The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 21% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Red Hawk Ridge Elementary School
Red Hawk Ridge Elementary School, a regular public school in the Cherry Creek School District, serves students from preschool through fifth grade in a suburban pocket of Centennial. The school community reflects the broader diversity of this part of Arapahoe County, with a student body that is predominantly composed of families identifying as Hispanic, white, Black, and two or more races, with smaller Asian and American Indian representation. A substantial share of students come from households that qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a marker of economic diversity at the school.
The school sits within Centennial, a large, car-dependent suburban city just south of Denver. Centennial has no traditional downtown; daily life and errands revolve around commercial corridors like East Arapahoe Road and the I-25 corridor. The city was incorporated from unincorporated Arapahoe County and operates under a contract-based government model. Major corporate employers headquartered here include Arrow Electronics, United Launch Alliance, and National CineMedia, and the area is a mix of residential subdivisions, office parks, and retail centers such as Park Meadows. The built environment is spread across nearly 30 square miles, with little pedestrian street life. Housing values in the area place it well above national averages, and rents are also elevated, reflecting the Denver metro region’s broader housing market. A family considering Red Hawk Ridge should expect a suburban setting where a car is necessary for most trips.
On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, Red Hawk Ridge students produced proficiency rates that, when averaged across tested subjects and grades, fell above the midpoint among elementary schools within districts in Arapahoe County. In math and English language arts, the share of students scoring at or above the proficient level was below half, a level that some families will want to discuss with the school for a fuller picture of classroom instruction and support. In fifth-grade science, the proficiency rate was lower. These results come with a note on participation: a notable share of students did not take the state tests, which is a detail a parent may want to ask about.
Because the school serves only grades PK through five, high school graduation rate data does not apply here. The district does not report chronic absenteeism or special population data at the school level, so those measures are absent from this profile.
The enrollment is typical for an elementary school of this grade band. Classrooms span the full early childhood and elementary range, with enrollment spread fairly evenly from kindergarten through fifth grade, plus a sizable preschool program. No information was available about course access, staffing ratios, or discipline rates, so a parent interested in those areas would need to reach out to the school directly.
Red Hawk Ridge is a standard public school within the Cherry Creek system, a large and well-established district that serves most of Centennial. There is no specialized charter or magnet status here, and Title I status was not reported. Families evaluating this school should factor in both the academic proficiency picture and the suburban, low-density character of the surrounding community. The area’s housing costs are high, and the school’s economic diversity is notable. A conversation with the school about student support and academic programming would be a sensible next step.
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