The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Parr Elementary School
Parr Elementary School is closed. The school, which was part of the Jefferson County School District R-1 in Arvada, Colorado, is no longer operating. For a parent or resident looking into this address, the relevant question is not whether to enroll there but what the school’s record shows and what the district context means for nearby options.
The most concrete information available is from the 2022-23 state assessments, the last year of testing before closure. In math, a small share of students met Colorado’s proficiency standards. In English language arts, a larger but still modest share met those standards. Science results for that year were suppressed for privacy, so no proficiency rate is reported. The school had strong participation rates on the tests, indicating that nearly all enrolled students took the assessments. Beyond these test scores, little else is known publicly. Enrollment figures, demographic breakdowns, free or reduced-price lunch rates, special education and English learner counts, and discipline or staffing data are all missing from the record. The school’s grade band is listed as “M through M,” a placeholder that does not clearly indicate which grades were served, though the state testing data covers grades three through eight, suggesting the school served at least that range.
Because the school is closed, the district context matters more than it would for an active school. Jefferson County R-1 is a large district that has experienced significant turbulence in recent years. In 2024 voters approved a bond measure for capital improvements and safety upgrades, the first such bond in over a decade, so families can expect facility investments across the district. The district also adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum in 2023 aligned with Colorado’s READ Act and the science of reading, which affects reading instruction district-wide. More disruptive for families have been the consolidation debates. In 2023 the district announced plans to close a number of schools, then reversed the decision after community backlash. A regional consolidation committee was formed in 2024 to study enrollment trends and capacity, with recommendations still pending. That same year, voters recalled three school board members in an election driven by concerns about transparency and consolidation handling. The board’s composition has shifted, which could influence future decisions about school closures, boundaries, and budget priorities. For families considering this area, the uncertainty around which schools may be affected is a factor to weigh.
The community itself, Arvada, is a suburban city northwest of Denver with a historic downtown, Olde Town, that offers shops, restaurants, and a commuter rail connection to Denver. The housing market is in line with the Denver metro area, with home values that are pricey relative to national averages and rents that consume a sizable share of typical household income. The broader economic context includes a moderate unemployment rate and a median household income that is above the national median. The city grew rapidly after World War II and has a mature suburban built environment, with some walkability concentrated in Olde Town but otherwise car-dependent corridors.
For a reader looking at this data, the main takeaway is that Parr Elementary is no longer a choice. Its test results from its final year show low proficiency rates, but with the school closed, that information is historical. Families interested in this part of Arvada would be looking at other elementary or middle schools within Jefferson County R-1, and should be aware of the district’s ongoing consolidation study and board turnover, which could reshape school options in the coming years. The district’s new literacy curriculum and bond-funded improvements may be positives, but the uncertainty around potential school closures or boundary changes is something a parent would want to follow closely.
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