The top reported proficiency rate is 25% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Marie L. Greenwood Academy
Marie L. Greenwood Academy is a regular public school serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in the Denver Public Schools system. Situated in the northeast part of the city, in a zip code where housing values have seen a modest recent decline and rents have risen, the school draws from a local community within one of the country's largest and most economically diverse consolidated city-counties. Denver itself functions as the state capital and a major hub for telecommunications, aviation, financial services, health care, and tourism, with a dense downtown core and extensive residential neighborhoods stretching into the foothills and plains.
The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black population and smaller shares of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Asian, white, and multiracial students. A very high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the families it serves. The grade span is full: elementary grades through middle school, with the largest cohorts in sixth and eighth grades.
Academically, state assessment results for the most recent school year show that proficiency rates across tested subjects are well below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Denver County. In math, the share of students scoring at proficient or advanced levels was low, and in English language arts it was modestly higher but still far from a majority. Science results at fifth grade were particularly low, while eighth grade science was somewhat stronger. The overall proficiency index places the school in the bottom quartile of Denver County districts. A parent considering this school will want to investigate further with the school itself about instructional approaches, interventions, and how the school is working to raise achievement. Participation rates on assessments were very high, indicating strong engagement with the testing process.
The school serves a population that includes many English learners and students with disabilities, though exact rates were not reported in the available data. As a pre-K through eighth grade school, there is no high school graduation rate to consider. The environment and discipline data, as well as course access and staffing details, were not available, so a parent may want to ask directly about class sizes, support services, and school climate.
Denver Public Schools, the district, has recently made several changes that affect the entire system. Voters approved a bond measure in 2024 that is the largest in district history, funding facility improvements, safety upgrades, and new school construction. A district-wide shift to a literacy curriculum based on the science of reading began in elementary grades in the 2023-2024 school year. A new unified enrollment system was introduced for the 2024-2025 school year, consolidating school choice processes. Additionally, a mill levy override passed in 2022 to increase teacher pay and expand mental health services in schools. These district-level investments may influence the resources available at Marie L. Greenwood Academy over time.
The housing context for the school's area is set within Denver's broader real estate market, where home values and rents have been adjusting. A typical home in the zip code carries a price that, when paired with current mortgage rates, requires a substantial monthly payment, making homeownership less accessible than renting for many households. The school thus serves a community where affordability is a real concern, and the very high rate of economic disadvantage among students aligns with that picture.
Marie L. Greenwood Academy is a large PK-8 school in a major urban district, serving a predominantly low-income, Hispanic student population. Its academic performance is low relative to other Denver County schools, which is a central fact for any family evaluating options. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and operates within a district that has undertaken significant curriculum and enrollment changes in recent years. For a family seeking a neighborhood school with a full elementary-to-middle-grade continuum in a diverse urban setting, this school offers that structure, but the academic outcomes warrant close inquiry into the school's specific programs and supports.
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