The top reported proficiency rate is 68% in English language arts. The lowest is 50% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Valdez Elementary School
Valdez Elementary School sits in Denver’s northwest side, serving students from preschool through fifth grade as a regular public school within the Denver Public Schools system. For parents trying to understand what this school offers and who it fits, the picture that emerges is one of a neighborhood elementary with strong academic results, a diverse student body, and a location in a growing, amenity-rich city.
On state assessments, Valdez Elementary performs well compared to other elementary schools in Denver County. In English language arts, a solid majority of students met or exceeded the state’s proficiency standards. Math proficiency, while lower, still surpassed the typical level seen across its district peers. Science results for fifth graders, the only grade tested in that subject, showed about half of students reaching proficiency. These are above the median for Denver County schools when looked at together across subjects, placing Valdez in a favorable position among its local competition. The numbers suggest a school where students are generally meeting academic expectations at a rate that stands out in the district, particularly in reading.
The student enrollment is mid-sized for an elementary, drawing a population that is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial white minority and small numbers of students who are Black, Asian, or of two or more races. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic diversity but not of concentrated poverty. The school does not report data on special education or English learner classifications in the available records, so parents wanting to understand the support systems for those groups should ask the school directly what programs are in place.
Valdez serves a building that appears to be a standard, non-charter, non-magnet neighborhood school. Its location in Denver means families have access to the city’s broad set of cultural and civic resources: downtown museums, the performing arts complex, a large park system, and professional sports. The neighborhood housing market in the area’s zip code is expensive relative to the state and national benchmarks, with home values that have declined somewhat in the past year. Rents are similarly high, and the cost of owning a home exceeds what renting costs on a monthly basis. This is a dense urban setting, not a suburban or rural one, which shapes the peer environment and the daily commute experience.
Denver Public Schools as a whole is in a period of significant change. Voters recently approved the largest bond in district history, aimed at facility upgrades, safety, technology, and new construction, which will affect Valdez Elementary’s physical plant over time. The district has also shifted elementary literacy instruction to align with the science of reading, a curriculum change that directly touches what happens in Valdez’s classrooms. A new unified enrollment system now governs how families apply to schools, which may matter for parents exploring options beyond their neighborhood assignment. A recent mill levy override has boosted teacher pay and mental health services, factors that can influence staff stability and student support.
Missing from the available data are any details about discipline rates, chronic absenteeism, staffing ratios, or course access offerings such as art, music, or physical education. These are common areas of interest for elementary families, and their absence means a fuller picture would require a direct visit or conversation with the school. There is also no information about before- or after-school programs, parent involvement structures, or the specific instructional approach beyond the district’s literacy initiative.
For a family considering Valdez, the evidence points to a school that performs above the local average academically, serves a diverse and moderately economically mixed student body, and operates within a large, resource-rich urban district that is actively investing in its schools. The main considerations are whether the urban setting, the housing costs, and the school’s specific programmatic offerings align with a family’s priorities. A parent who wants a neighborhood school with solid test scores in a city with abundant amenities will find Valdez worth a close look.
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