NCES CCD 2024-25 105 schools CO

Best-Resourced Schools in Aurora, CO

105 public K-12 schools in Aurora from NCES Common Core of Data: enrollment, grade span, demographics, and Civil Rights Data Collection statistics for every active campus.

105 public schools ranked by quality score. NCES CCD 2024-25 data.

The highest-ranked of Aurora's 105 public schools is Cherokee Trail High School, scoring 41/100, against a city average of 43.8/100. Computed live across every Aurora campus reporting to NCES.

Every public school in Aurora, CO, ranked by Resource Investment Index.

105
Schools
73,526
Students
43.8/100
Avg Quality
19.2:1
Avg Student-Teacher Ratio

How the Aurora Public-School Landscape Breaks Down

Aurora, CO enrolls 73,526 students across 105 public schools reporting to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, 16 are charter schools, giving families genuine alternatives to the traditional neighbourhood assignment model. The average student-teacher ratio across the city is 19.2:1, and the composite quality score, derived from student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted-program availability, and CRDC attendance data, averages 43.8/100. Schools must report at least five campuses in a city to appear in this listing, which is why very small towns may redirect to the broader county or state view.

The most-resourced campus in Aurora on this index is Cherokee Trail High School, at 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index with 3,089 enrolled students. What the index does and doesn't measure; click any school below for its full component breakdown.

Aurora spans 3 districts, each filing its own NCES F-33 return, per-pupil spending can vary between neighbouring campuses. Sort the table below by enrollment, level, or district; click any school for its full profile.

Aurora school enrollment varies 5.4× across entities

Aurora school enrollment ranges from 567 students (lowest) to 3,089 students (highest), a spread of 2,522 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous school portfolio for a city this size. Per-school staffing, programme depth, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same city based on enrollment shape, a 200-student magnet runs a different operational model than a 2,000-student comprehensive high school.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Aurora student-teacher ratio is 19.2:1 — high (typically associated with larger urban scale or staffing constraints that have widened the headcount gap)

student-teacher ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE classroom teachers against total enrollment, push-in specialists, English-language aides, special-education co-teachers, and counselors are not included in most reporting Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, Public School Universe NCES Common Core of Data, Public School Universe

Aurora has higher-than-average charter school authorisation eligibility — 15.2% of the population qualifies for charter-school enrollment options

charter-school enrollment options eligibility is the federal threshold for charter school authorisation funding allocations, established under the state-specific charter law. Areas above 30% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic charter school authorisation formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

# School Score
1. Cherokee Trail High School 41
2. Grandview High School 45
3. Aurora Central Campus 35
4. Smoky Hill High School 44
5. Overland High School 49
6. Rangeview High School 41
7. Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory 35
8. Gateway High School 35
9. Hinkley High School 54
10. Prairie Middle School 35
11. Thunder Ridge Middle School 44
12. Infinity Middle School 28
13. Lotus School for Excellence 47
14. Edna and John W. Mosley P-8 33
15. Sky Vista Middle School 32
16. Fox Ridge Middle School 46
17. Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory 32
18. Sixth Avenue Elementary School 35
19. Aurora West College Preparatory Academy 42
20. Harmony Ridge P-8 38
21. Liberty Middle School 38
22. Murphy Creek K-8 School 34
23. Laredo Middle School 41
24. Aurora Hills Middle School 56
25. Village East Community Elementary School 50
26. Mrachek Middle School 51
27. Global Village Academy Aurora 62
28. Academy of Advanced Learning 43
29. Aurora Frontier K-8 41
30. Altitude Elementary School 49
31. Eastridge Community Elementary School 49
32. Horizon Middle School 46
33. Rocky Mountain Prep: Fletcher 51
34. Falcon Creek Middle School 44
35. Vanguard Classical School - East 59
36. High Point Academy 34
37. Virginia Court Elementary School 36
38. Columbia Middle School 54
39. East Middle School 51
40. Ponderosa Elementary School 50
41. Buffalo Trail Elementary School 49
42. Pine Ridge Elementary School 58
43. Tollgate Elementary School of Expeditionary Learni 49
44. Kenton Elementary School 34
45. Vega Collegiate Academy 31
46. Woodland Elementary School -
47. Aurora Quest K-8 44
48. Dakota Valley Elementary School 51
49. Colorado Early Colleges Aurora 36
50. Crawford Elementary School 46

Showing top 50 of 105 schools.

Most racially and ethnically mixed schools in Aurora

Ranked by the Simpson student-body diversity index (0-100) from NCES race and ethnicity data, where higher means a more evenly mixed student body. It measures mix, not quality.

  1. 1 Aurora Frontier K-8 77.1/100
  2. 2 Outback Preschool 76.7/100
  3. 3 Polton Community Elementary School 75.8/100
  4. 4 Aurora Quest K-8 75.7/100
  5. 5 The Journey Preschool 75.6/100

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best schools in Aurora, CO?

The highest-ranked school in Aurora is Cherokee Trail High School with a quality score of 41/100. There are 105 public schools in Aurora with 73,526 total students.

How many schools are in Aurora, CO?

Aurora has 105 public schools with a total enrollment of 73,526 students. 16 are charter schools. Average student-teacher ratio: 19.2:1.

Other Cities in Colorado

Side-by-side: Compare any two schools or districts in Colorado →

Explore PlainSchools

Related Guides

Data from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22. Quality scores based on student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance. Schools must have 5+ in the city to be listed.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.