The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 19% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hill Campus of Arts and Sciences
Hill Campus of Arts and Sciences is a regular public middle school in Denver serving grades six through eight. The school is part of Denver Public Schools, the district that covers the city and county of Denver. Denver is a major consolidated city-county and the state capital, functioning as the principal commercial, industrial, and transportation hub for the Rocky Mountain West and Great Plains region. Its economy spans telecommunications, aviation and aerospace, software, financial and business services, health care, and tourism, and the city hosts the headquarters of eight Fortune firms. Denver has experienced sustained population growth and has a dense downtown core with government offices, corporate headquarters, and cultural institutions, alongside extensive residential neighborhoods. The housing market in the school’s zip code is expensive relative to national and state benchmarks, with home values near the national high end and rents that are also elevated. A family considering this school is looking at a costly housing market, even by Denver standards.
Hill Campus of Arts and Sciences enrolls a middle school population that is diverse. The student body includes a large share of White students, a substantial Hispanic population, a meaningful Black student presence, and smaller numbers of students who identify as two or more races, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. A little over half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a measure of economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how it supports those populations.
Academically, the school’s state test results present a mixed picture. On the Colorado Measures of Academic Success, the overall proficiency index, which averages proficiency rates across tested subjects and grades, places this school above the midpoint among the districts in Denver County. That is a positive signal relative to peers within the county. Looking at individual subjects, the school’s performance in English language arts is stronger than in math or science. A sizable share of students met or exceeded proficiency in reading and writing, while math proficiency was lower, and eighth-grade science proficiency was also below the mark set by the state. The participation rates on all three tests were high, which means the results are a reliable picture of the student body as a whole. A parent focused on middle school academics should note that math is a weaker area, and it is worth asking what interventions or supports the school offers in that subject.
The school operates as a regular middle school, not a charter or magnet. There is no available data on discipline, course access, staffing ratios, attendance, or chronic absenteeism. That means a family cannot assess the school’s climate or day-to-day environment from these figures. The school website was provided, and a parent can likely find information there about electives, arts programming—the name suggests a focus there—and extracurricular offerings. Because the data on programs was not available, a parent should verify the specific arts and academic pathways the school offers.
The middle school does not have a graduation rate, as it does not serve high school grades. This is not a gap; it simply reflects the grade band.
For families within Denver Public Schools, the district has had several recent changes that may affect Hill Campus. Voters approved a large bond measure in 2024 for facility improvements, safety upgrades, technology, and new school construction, which could mean physical improvements to this building. The district also adopted a new literacy curriculum aligned with the science of reading starting in the 2023-2024 school year, but that change applies to elementary grades, so it would not directly affect this middle school. Denver Public Schools moved to a unified enrollment system for the 2024-2025 school year, which changed how families apply to and select schools across the district, so a family new to the district should familiarize themselves with that process. A 2022 mill levy override increased teacher pay and expanded mental health resources, which could have a positive effect on staffing stability and student support at the school.
Hill Campus of Arts and Sciences sits in the middle of the pack academically among Denver County districts, with a particular strength in English language arts and a soft spot in math. It serves a diverse student body in an expensive part of Denver, and it is part of a large district that has recently invested in infrastructure and mental health. A parent who values arts programming and wants a regular public middle school in the city should consider this school, but they should dig into the math supports and the school’s specific arts offerings to see if it aligns with their child’s needs.
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