The top reported proficiency rate is 14% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Jefferson Junior/senior High School
Jefferson Junior/Senior High School sits in Edgewater, a small city in Jefferson County, and serves seventh through twelfth grade as a regular public school within the Jefferson County School District No. R-1. With an enrollment that does not reach a very large size for a combined junior/senior high school, it draws its student body primarily from the immediate community and surrounding neighborhoods. The student population is heavily Hispanic, the single largest group in the school by a substantial share, with white students and those identifying as two or more races making up much smaller portions. A very high proportion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, signaling that this school serves a predominantly low-income community.
State testing results for math, English language arts, and science all show proficiency rates that are low relative to typical expectations across Colorado. In math, a very small fraction of tested students performed at the proficient or advanced level. English language arts proficiency was modestly higher but still low, with about one in seven students meeting the bar. Science proficiency, based on eighth-grade results, was similar to math, with under one in ten students scoring proficient. These numbers paint a picture of a school where a large majority of students are not yet meeting grade-level standards in core subjects, something a parent considering the school would want to explore further with the administration to understand what interventions and supports are in place. Participation rates on the state assessments were above the threshold for the school to be considered as having tested a representative sample.
The school’s parent district, Jefferson County R-1, has been through significant governance and operational changes that a family should factor in. In November 2024, voters approved a bond measure for capital improvements, safety upgrades, and technology enhancements, the first such bond passed by Jeffco voters in roughly a decade, so facility and technology investments are expected district-wide in coming years. Also in 2024, voters recalled three school board members in an election driven by concerns about transparency and the handling of school consolidation plans, replacing them with three new members. This shift in school board composition could affect future decisions about school closures, boundary changes, and budget priorities. The district had previously announced a plan to close sixteen schools in 2023 due to declining enrollment and budget deficits but reversed that decision after community pushback, instead forming a committee to study enrollment trends and capacity. That ongoing process introduces continued uncertainty for families about whether their child’s school could face consolidation or boundary changes in the years ahead. On the curriculum side, the district adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum aligned with Colorado’s READ Act and the science of reading framework starting in the 2023-24 school year, a change that will eventually reach secondary students as they progress through the system.
The housing market in the school’s zip code area reflects a moderately priced market by Colorado standards, though affordability relative to local incomes is tight for many households. Home values in the area are close to the statewide median, while rents are a significant portion of typical income, suggesting that many families in the Edgewater area are renters. The community itself is an older inner-ring suburb of Denver, compact and walkable in parts, but the school’s actual academic environment is defined by the challenges of low proficiency and the high concentration of students from low-income households, not by any particular program or magnet theme, as the school is a regular public school without charter or magnet status.
For a parent, the key considerations are straightforward. This is a school where average state test scores are well below state norms, and where the student body is predominantly low-income and Hispanic. The district is in a period of flux, with a new school board, a recent bond for physical improvements, and a continuing process around school consolidation that could eventually affect attendance boundaries. A family weighing this school would want to dig into what academic support structures, after-school programs, and career or dual-enrollment pathways are offered for older students, and to get a sense from current teachers and administrators of how they are working to raise student performance.
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