The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in Math. The lowest is 63% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Black Forest Hills Elementary School
Black Forest Hills Elementary School is a regular public school in the Cherry Creek 5 district, serving preschool through fifth grade in Aurora. It is not a charter school. The school occupies a specific corner of Aurora, a sprawling and heavily suburban city that is the third-largest in Colorado. The area around the school is dominated by subdivisions and master-planned communities, and the city as a whole is heavily car-dependent, with light rail lines serving some corridors but not creating a walkable grid. The largest employer in the city is Buckley Space Force Base, and the Anschutz Medical Campus provides a major medical and institutional hub. Growth across Aurora continues, particularly along corridors pushing toward Denver International Airport, but the southeastern quadrant where Black Forest Hills sits is built-out suburban territory.
The student body is predominantly white, with a mix of other backgrounds including Hispanic students a substantial share and Asian students a smaller but present share. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, well below what is typical for a district or county. The school is large enough to offer the full elementary grade band through fifth grade with multiple sections per grade.
On state assessments, Black Forest Hills posted proficiency rates that are strong across all tested subjects. In math and English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above is markedly higher than what you would see in a typical elementary school in the region. In science, which is tested only at the fifth-grade level, the same pattern holds. The school’s overall proficiency index sits in the top quartile relative to all school districts in Arapahoe County, a clear signal of consistent academic performance above most of its neighbors. These are not elite outlier numbers, but they put the school comfortably in the upper band of the county for an elementary.
The housing market in the zip code reflects the character of the surrounding subdivisions. Home values are high compared to the state median, and rent is also above typical levels. A buyer or renter in this area should expect a premium market. Mortgage costs would be a heavy monthly outlay compared to renting, and the price-to-income ratio nationally suggests affordability pressure. The local unemployment rate sits near the national average, and real median household income has held steady. For families already living in these neighborhoods, the school fits the pattern of a well-performing suburban elementary where property values and academic outcomes track together.
The school’s status as a regular public school within Cherry Creek 5 means it follows the district’s curricular and staffing policies. We looked for information about specific program offerings such as gifted education, arts, or special education staffing, and none was available in the data provided. A parent interested in those details would need to check with the school or district directly. Similarly, there is no reported data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or teacher-to-student ratios, so that part of the picture is absent. State testing participation rates were high in both math and English language arts, meeting typical thresholds, and slightly lower in science, which a parent may want to ask about.
For a family looking at this school, the picture is of a well-performing suburban elementary in a strong district, serving a community where home prices are high and the neighborhood is built out and car-oriented. The student population is not high-poverty by the federal lunch measure, and academic results are consistently above what is typical in the county. Families who value high-tested proficiency in a stable suburban setting will find this a fitting choice. Those who need specific supports, specialized programs, or a more diverse socioeconomic mix may want to explore those details with the school, as the data does not fill in those areas. The school does not serve middle or high school grades, so the question of where students go next within the Cherry Creek 5 system matters for a longer-term plan.
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