The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in English language arts. The lowest is 55% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Dsst: Cedar Middle School
DSST: Cedar Middle School is a public charter school in Denver serving grades six through eight. It operates under the Denver Public Schools district but has its own governing structure as a charter. Located near downtown Denver, it sits in a dense urban setting where housing costs are well above both the state and national averages, reflecting the premium placed on central Denver neighborhoods. The school draws from across the city through the district's school choice system, which was recently consolidated into a unified enrollment process.
On state assessments in math, English language arts, and science, DSST: Cedar posts results that place it comfortably ahead of the typical middle school in Denver County. The school's overall proficiency across tested subjects is in the top quarter of all Denver County districts, a strong showing for any school but especially notable for a charter that serves a broadly mixed population. The ELA proficiency rate is particularly high, with the large majority of students meeting or exceeding the state's standard. Math and science proficiency rates are also solid, though not quite as elevated as reading and writing. Because this is a middle school, there is no graduation rate to consider; the academic picture is limited to these test-based measures, and they paint a consistently favorable one.
The student body of roughly this size for a three-grade school is diverse in composition. A bit over two-fifths of students are white, with sizable shares of Hispanic and Black students and smaller but present populations of Asian and multiracial students. A little over half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which for a Denver charter is typical of the city's overall public school population. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the records reviewed, so a parent would need to ask the school directly about the specific supports and service levels in those areas.
Denver itself is a major city with a broad economy spanning technology, aerospace, health care, and government, and it hosts the headquarters of several Fortune firms. The city has seen sustained population growth, and its public school district has been active in recent years. A large bond measure approved by voters in 2024 funds facility upgrades and new construction across the district. A district-wide shift to a science-of-reading aligned literacy curriculum began in elementary grades in 2023, and a 2022 mill levy override boosted teacher pay and mental health resources. These changes affect all schools in the district, including DSST: Cedar, though the charter may have some flexibility in implementation.
The housing market in the school's immediate zip code is expensive, with home values substantially above the state median and rents to match. The typical home in this area costs far more than what is affordable on the median national income, and mortgage rates have been elevated. Rent is also high relative to income. Families considering this school should weigh the cost of living in the surrounding neighborhood against the possibility of commuting from more affordable parts of the metro area.
DSST: Cedar is not a neighborhood-assigned school; families must apply through the district's unified enrollment system. Its academic results are clearly above average for the county, and its student body reflects the demographic mix of Denver itself. The missing pieces—special education and English learner data, for instance—are worth investigating directly if those are factors in a family's decision. On the evidence available, this is a high-performing charter middle school in an expensive urban market within a district undergoing significant facility and curricular changes.
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