📊 What this ranking measures
Rankings are based on academic achievement — the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (CMAS 2025), ranked against other districts in the same state — not on spending, district size, or staffing. See full methodology →
26 Rated Districts in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Metro Area
CMAS 2025 · percentile among Colorado districts
| Metro Rank | District | District Office | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Douglas County School District RE-1 | Castle Rock | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #2 | Littleton School District 6 | Littleton | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #3 | Platte Canyon School District 1 | Bailey | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #4 | Jefferson County School District R-1 | Golden | 9/10 Excellent | 85th |
| #5 | Cherry Creek School District 5 | Greenwood Village | 9/10 Excellent | 83rd |
| #6 | Big Sandy School District 100J | Simla | 8/10 Good | 78th |
| #7 | Gilpin County School District RE-1 | Black Hawk | 8/10 Good | 77th |
| #8 | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | Thornton | 7/10 Good | 67th |
| #9 | Byers School District 32J | Byers | 7/10 Good | 65th |
| #10 | Denver County School District 1 | Denver | 7/10 Good | 64th |
| #11 | Elizabeth School District | Elizabeth | 7/10 Good | 63rd |
| #12 | Clear Creek School District RE-1 | Idaho Springs | 6/10 Average | 53rd |
| #13 | Strasburg School District 31J | Strasburg | 6/10 Average | 51st |
| #14 | Elbert School District 200 | Elbert | 5/10 Average | 47th |
| #15 | Park County School District RE-2 | Fairplay | 5/10 Average | 44th |
| #16 | School District 27J | Brighton | 4/10 Below Average | 39th |
| #17 | Englewood School District 1 | Englewood | 4/10 Below Average | 38th |
| #18 | Bennett School District 29-J | Bennett | 3/10 Below Average | 22nd |
| #19 | Adams-Arapahoe School District 28J | Aurora | 2/10 Poor | 19th |
| #20 | Mapleton School District 1 | Denver | 2/10 Poor | 15th |
| #21 | Agate School District 300 | Agate | 2/10 Poor | 14th |
| #22 | Westminster Public School District | Westminster | 2/10 Poor | 11th |
| #23 | Kiowa School District C-2 | Kiowa | 2/10 Poor | 10th |
| #24 | Deer Trail School District 26J | Deer Trail | 1/10 Poor | 7th |
| #25 | Adams County School District 14 | Commerce City | 1/10 Poor | 2nd |
| #26 | Sheridan School District 2 | Englewood | 1/10 Poor | 1st |
Best School Districts in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Metro Area (2026)
Counties are assigned to metropolitan areas using the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 delineation, and each district is placed in the county of its NCES directory listing. Ratings come from CMAS 2025 (Colorado) and are percentile-ranked within the district's own state. Always confirm your assignment by address.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best-rated school district in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area? ▼
Among the 26 rated districts in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area, 2 share the top position at 10/10 (Excellent), 95th percentile of Colorado districts on CMAS 2025 reading and math proficiency: Douglas County School District RE-1 (Castle Rock); Littleton School District 6 (Littleton).
How are these rankings calculated? ▼
Each district's rating comes from the share of its students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments, percentile-ranked against all rated districts in its state and converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.