The top reported proficiency rate is 14% in Math. The lowest is 10% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Farrell B. Howell Ece-8 School
Farrell B. Howell ECE-8 School is a regular public school that serves students from preschool through eighth grade in a single building in Denver. The school is part of School District No. 1, commonly known as Denver Public Schools, the large urban district that covers the city and county of Denver. Because the school stops at eighth grade, it has no graduation rate to report.
The student body is large for a school that serves only through middle school, with enrollment spread across every grade from PK through eight. By far the largest share of students are Hispanic, with Black students making up the next largest group. The remaining students are spread across small numbers of Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, white, multiracial, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. A very high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, an indicator that the school serves a population with significant economic need. Data on the share of students with an individualized education program (IEP) or classified as English learners was not available in the data provided.
On state assessments taken in the spring of 2025, proficiency rates across math, English language arts, and science were low. In math, tested across grades three through eight, the share of students scoring proficient or above was in the mid-teens. In English language arts, also tested across those grade levels, the share was similarly in the mid-teens. In science, which is tested at specific grades, the share of fifth graders scoring proficient or above was in the single digits, while the share of eighth graders scoring proficient or above was in the low teens. Participation rates were strong, at around ninety percent or higher except for eighth-grade science, where the rate was somewhat lower. When compared with other schools in Denver County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls in the bottom quartile relative to other Denver County districts. This means that, based on the data available, academic performance is lower here than at most other schools in the same county. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what supports are in place for students who are not yet at grade level.
The school does not appear to be a charter school, and information on whether it is a magnet school or a Title I school was not available. No data on discipline, course access, staffing, or chronic absenteeism was reported, so those dimensions cannot be described.
Denver, where the school is located, is the state capital and the dominant economic and transportation center of the Rocky Mountain region. The city has a diversified economy spanning telecommunications, aerospace, software, financial services, health care, and manufacturing, with several Fortune 500 firms headquartered here. The downtown core holds the State Capitol, major museums, the Denver Performing Arts Complex, and other cultural institutions, while the broader city is known for its extensive park system and bicycle paths. Denver Union Station serves as a transit anchor. The city has experienced sustained growth, with its metropolitan area now forming a nearly continuous built-up corridor along the Front Range.
The Denver Public Schools district has seen several recent developments relevant to families. In 2022, voters approved a mill levy override to increase teacher pay and expand mental health services in schools. In 2024, voters approved the largest bond measure in district history, funding facility improvements, safety upgrades, technology, and new school construction across the district. The district also shifted to a new literacy curriculum aligned with the science of reading in elementary grades starting in the 2023-2024 school year, and launched a unified enrollment system for school choice beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. These district-level changes may affect what families experience at Howell, though the school’s specific implementation of the new curriculum and its place in the choice system were not detailed in the available data.
The housing context for the school’s zip code shows that home values have seen a modest decline over the past year, while rents have increased. Mortgage rates nationally remain elevated relative to recent years. The local area is an urban part of Denver, with a mix of residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors. The school’s address, on East Albrook Drive, places it within the city, accessible by the area’s road network and public transit.
For a family considering this school, the key takeaway is that it serves a high-need student population in a large urban district and that state assessment results are low across subjects. There is no data on many of the factors families might want to explore, such as the school’s approach to discipline, its staffing ratios, or its chronic absenteeism rate. The district itself has made recent investments in facilities, literacy instruction, and enrollment systems, but how those translate into day-to-day experience at this particular school is something a parent would need to investigate directly. This is a large PK-8 school in a growing city with a diverse economy, serving a community where most families qualify for income-based meal assistance, but where academic proficiency on state tests remains far below state averages.
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