The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in Science. The lowest is 60% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Copper Mesa Elementary School
Copper Mesa Elementary School is a regular public school in the Douglas County School District serving students from preschool through sixth grade. It is located in Highlands Ranch, a master-planned suburban community that is among the largest unincorporated areas in Colorado. Highlands Ranch was built from scratch starting in the late 1970s and has filled in steadily; by its own account, development is nearly complete, with the community now divided into four residential neighborhoods—East, Westridge, Northridge, and Southridge. The built environment is car-dependent, with no traditional downtown and daily errands requiring driving, though the community maintains an extensive network of trails, parks, recreation centers, and open-space areas. Copper Mesa sits within this planned suburban setting.
The school enrolls a little over three hundred students, a size that is moderate for an elementary school serving preschool through sixth grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic share and a smaller Asian share; students who identify with two or more races also make up a noticeable part of the population. A very small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a relatively affluent attendance zone. Highlands Ranch is an expensive housing market: home values are well above the state median, and rents are high relative to incomes. A family considering Copper Mesa should expect that housing costs in the area will be a significant factor. The school's poverty rate is notably low, and this shapes the peer environment.
Academically, Copper Mesa posts strong results on the state's Colorado Measures of Academic Success assessments. In math, a large majority of students in grades three through eight scored at or above the proficient level, placing the school in a strong position. In English language arts, the proficiency rate is also high, though slightly below the math figure. Science results, which are reported only for fifth graders, show an even larger share reaching proficiency. These scores come from a high participation rate, so the results reflect nearly the full student body. The school does not serve high school grades and therefore has no graduation rate to report. The district context matters too: the Douglas County School District has recently won voter approval for a major bond and a mill levy override, the latter funding teacher and staff compensation and mental health support, and the bond funding school construction, safety upgrades, and technology. The district also implemented a new evidence-based literacy curriculum beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, a shift in how reading is taught across all elementary schools.
A family looking at Copper Mesa will find a school with solid academic proficiency and a high-income, low-poverty peer environment. The school is in a community that is nearly built out, so the era of rapid growth is over, and the housing market is expensive. The district's recent financial investments in staffing and facilities are publicly reported developments that could affect the school's future stability and resources. There were no programs data available in the information we reviewed, nor data on special populations such as students with disabilities or English learners. A parent who wants details on those supports would need to reach out to the school directly.
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