The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in English language arts. The lowest is 24% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Belmar School of Integrated Arts
Belmar School of Integrated Arts is a regular public elementary school in Lakewood, Colorado, serving kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Jefferson County School District R-1. Its location sits in a large suburban city immediately west of Denver, where established residential neighborhoods mix with commercial corridors and large institutional employers like the Denver Federal Center. Enrollment is broadly similar to other elementary schools in the area, and the student body draws from the surrounding community.
The school’s stated focus is integrated arts, which is the distinguishing feature a family would weigh first. Beyond that label, the available state test results offer a straightforward picture of academic performance. In math, the share of students scoring at the proficient or above level was below the average for Colorado schools. In English language arts, the share was closer to but still below the state average. Fifth graders who took the science assessment also showed a proficiency rate that fell below the state average. These are the most recent results available. A parent considering the school would want to ask what the integrated arts approach looks like in practice and how it connects to core academic instruction, especially given that proficiency rates in tested subjects are lower than what many families may be hoping for. The school’s participation rates on these assessments were very high, meaning the results are a reliable reflection of schoolwide performance.
The student population is diverse. A bit over half of students are white, while a substantial share, over a third, are Hispanic. Other racial and ethnic groups each make up a small portion of the enrollment. More than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school in a middle range economically relative to other schools in the area. Data on special education identification and English learner status was not available, so a parent would need to ask the school directly about the supports available for those students.
Belmar is a neighborhood school within a large district that has seen significant recent turbulence. In 2023, the district initially announced a plan to close 16 schools due to declining enrollment and budget deficits, then reversed the decision after community backlash. A committee was later formed to study consolidation, leaving uncertainty about long-term school boundaries. In 2024, voters recalled three school board members amid concerns about transparency and the handling of those consolidation plans. That same election saw voters approve a large bond measure for capital improvements, safety upgrades, and technology, the first bond passed by the district in roughly a decade, which will fund improvements districtwide. The district also adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum in 2023 aligned with Colorado’s science of reading framework, which Belmar now uses. These changes mean families are operating in a district where governance, funding, and school footprints are actively shifting.
The housing market in the area adds another layer for a family making a decision. Home values are modestly higher than the state average, and rents are also a meaningful expense. The typical monthly mortgage payment in the area is substantially higher than the typical rent, meaning renting is the more affordable path into the neighborhood for many households. The ratio of home prices to local incomes is high, making homeownership a notable stretch for many buyers.
Belmar School of Integrated Arts is a regular public elementary that presents as a genuinely integrated arts school in a community with a very strong arts and mixed-use focus in its immediate neighborhood, the Belmar district itself. The academic proficiency numbers are soft relative to state averages, and families should investigate how the arts integration is used to support core learning. The broader district context involves enrollment pressures, a recent bond for facilities, a new literacy curriculum, and a newly composed school board, all of which could affect the school experience in the coming years.
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