The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in Math. The lowest is 17% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on University Prep - Arapahoe St.
University Prep - Arapahoe St. is a charter elementary school in Denver serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of Denver Public Schools, the district that covers the city and county of Denver. The school occupies a building on Arapahoe Street, in a central Denver neighborhood. Given that it serves only elementary grades, it has no high school graduation rate, and middle or high school metrics like advanced coursework or college readiness do not apply.
The school enrolls a few hundred students, and the student body is diverse. About half of students identify as Black, and about a third identify as Hispanic. Smaller shares of students identify as white, two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. A large majority of students come from low-income households, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch.
State test results for the 2024-25 school year show that overall proficiency rates were low, placing this school in the bottom quartile among districts in Denver County for the combined proficiency index across tested subjects. In math, about a fifth of students scored at the proficient or above level on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success. In English language arts, less than a fifth of students scored at that level. Science results for fifth grade were suppressed by the state, meaning the data was not released, though a share of students took the test. Participation rates were high, above 97% in both math and ELA, which means the results reflect nearly all enrolled students at the tested grade levels.
Because elementary schools do not typically report chronic absenteeism data in the same way as secondary schools, that metric was not available for this comparison. The comparison to other Denver County schools is based on a small set of districts, so the bottom-quartile position should be understood within that limited frame.
Denver, as a large and fast-growing city, provides a broad set of civic, cultural, and economic opportunities. The school sits within a district that has recently seen significant change. In November 2024, Denver voters approved a large bond measure, the largest in district history, aimed at facility improvements, safety upgrades, technology, and new school construction. A new district-wide enrollment system called Unified Enrollment began in the 2024-2025 school year, changing how families apply for and select schools. The district also adopted a new K-5 literacy curriculum starting in the 2023-2024 school year, shifting to evidence-based reading instruction. In 2022, voters approved a mill levy override to increase teacher pay and support mental health services.
Housing in the school's area is relatively expensive. The typical home value in the zip code is somewhat higher than the statewide benchmark, while rents are high but have declined recently. The typical home costs several times the national median household income, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment is higher than the median rent. This makes homeownership a stretch for many families in the area, though it also reflects the desirability of Denver's central neighborhoods.
For a family considering this school, the facts are straightforward. University Prep - Arapahoe St. serves a predominantly low-income, diverse student body in a charter setting within Denver Public Schools. Academic proficiency on state tests is below the district average, and the school sits in the bottom tier relative to other Denver County districts. The school is part of a large district that is investing heavily in infrastructure and curriculum, and Denver itself offers a dense, amenity-rich urban environment. A parent may want to visit the school, ask about instructional support and interventions, and look into the specific academic programs and school culture before making a decision.
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