The top reported proficiency rate is 15% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hillcrest Elementary School
Hillcrest Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Northglenn, a master-planned suburb north of Denver that grew modestly in recent years. The school is part of the Adams 12 Five Star Schools district, where a search of recent district changes found little of lasting impact publicly reported. Northglenn itself was built as a planned community with neighborhoods, shopping centers, parks, and a Greenway Trail System that offers more than thirty-five miles of off-street walking and biking paths. The city has no traditional downtown core; civic life centers on city hall and dispersed commercial nodes, and a commuter rail line connects residents to downtown Denver. Housing values in the area have declined somewhat year over year, while rents have held nearly flat, placing the area at a moderate price point relative to the broader state market.
Hillcrest’s enrollment is within the typical range for an elementary school of its grade span. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller shares of white students, Asian students, and students of two or more races. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a high concentration of families with low household incomes. Data for special populations such as students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source information, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those offerings and supports.
On the most recent state assessments administered in the 2024–25 school year, Hillcrest’s proficiency rates were low across all tested subjects. In both math and English language arts, roughly one in ten to one in seven students scored at the proficient level, and science results for fifth graders were similar. These figures place the school in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency relative to districts in Adams County. The grade band covers only elementary-level testing, so no high school metrics such as graduation rate apply here. The school had strong test participation rates, near full, which gives confidence that the results reflect nearly all enrolled students.
A parent considering Hillcrest will find a school where academic outcomes on state measures are well below most other elementary schools in the county. That is the central fact to weigh. The data does not include information about school programs, course access, discipline, or staffing ratios, so a family would need to look into what enrichment or intervention supports are offered. The suburban setting provides walkable and bikeable paths within the community, but the area is car-dependent for most errands and commuting. The school’s heavy concentration of students from low-income households suggests that additional academic and social supports may be especially important here, though the available evidence does not show what those look like.
Without program details or student-support metrics, a parent’s next step would be to visit the school, talk with staff about academic interventions and enrichment, and understand how the school addresses the challenges those proficiency numbers point to. The broader Northglenn community offers parks, trail access, and transit connections to Denver, but the school’s academic landscape is one where a family would want to be actively engaged in their child’s learning.
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