The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in English language arts. The lowest is 67% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Eldorado Elementary School
Eldorado Elementary School serves students from preschool through sixth grade in Highlands Ranch, a master-planned suburban community in Douglas County. The school is part of the Douglas County School District No. Re 1, a system that has seen significant voter-approved investment in recent years. In 2022, voters passed a mill levy override for teacher compensation and mental health support, the district's first such measure in a long stretch. In 2024, voters approved both a major bond for construction, safety, and technology upgrades, and a second mill levy override for staff recruitment and retention. These measures signal a community willing to fund its schools, and they shape the operating context for every school in the district, including Eldorado Elementary.
The school itself is a regular public elementary school serving preschool through sixth grade. Its enrollment is moderate for a school of this grade band. The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic population and smaller shares of Asian, multiracial, and Black students. About one in five students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that places the school in a relatively low-poverty context compared to many Colorado schools. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source materials, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the supports available for those populations.
Academically, Eldorado Elementary posted strong results on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success. In both math and English language arts, a large majority of students scored at the proficient or advanced level. Science results, tested in fifth grade, were also solid, with a clear majority of students meeting the state's proficiency standard. These are high marks by any measure, and they place the school in a strong position relative to state averages. The school's participation rates on the assessments were adequate, though not universal, which is typical for a school of this type.
The school is located in Highlands Ranch, a master-planned community that has grown rapidly since its founding and is now approaching buildout. The community is car-dependent, with no traditional downtown and daily errands requiring driving. It offers extensive recreational infrastructure, including a large network of trails, parks, recreation centers, and open space. The housing market in the area is expensive, with home values well above the state median. Rents are also high. The combination of high housing costs and a low share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch suggests a relatively affluent catchment area. The community's growth has slowed as it nears full development, so the school's enrollment is likely stable rather than rapidly expanding.
The district context matters here. Douglas County voters have approved multiple funding measures in recent years, including a major bond and mill levy override in 2024 that will fund new construction, safety upgrades, and teacher compensation without raising the tax rate. The district also adopted a new evidence-based literacy curriculum across all elementary schools starting in the 2023-2024 school year, a shift in how reading is taught that affects every classroom. These are district-wide investments that Eldorado Elementary students and teachers benefit from directly.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a well-resourced elementary school in an affluent, car-dependent suburban community with strong academic results. The school serves a population that is predominantly white and relatively economically advantaged. The district has made recent, voter-approved investments in teacher pay, mental health support, and facilities. The community itself is approaching buildout, with extensive recreational amenities and no traditional downtown. This is a school that fits a family looking for a stable, high-performing suburban elementary school within a district that has shown a willingness to fund education.
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