Adams County Schools & Education
Adams County, Colorado
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
20/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
81.2%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
81.2%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 83.1%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,571
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,447
School Score
20/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 36/100
State Score Position
#51
of 63 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Adams County
Measured School Summary
Adams County faces educational challenges with a school score of 20/100 and a graduation rate of 81.2%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $6,571 per pupil, Adams County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 45% below the Colorado average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 12% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Adams County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
166 public schools and 10 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
20/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #51 of 63 Colorado counties with school score data.
Completion
81.2%
1.9 pts below the state average
Funding context
$6,571
$876 below the state average
School coverage
166
10 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Adams County has 166 public schools across 10 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Adams County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Large multi-district county
Adams County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.
State position
#51
of 63 Colorado counties with school score data. The county score is 16 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Adams 12 Five Star Schools
Elementary to high school visible
28,508 students
47 listed schools in this county slice.
School District 27J
Elementary to high school visible
20,985 students
31 listed schools in this county slice.
Westminster Public Schools
Elementary to high school visible
8,004 students
18 listed schools in this county slice.
Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St
Elementary to high school visible
7,088 students
20 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the counties of Adams and A is the largest listed district slice, with 61 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Adams County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Adams County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Adams County, Colorado
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A Robust Urban-Suburban Educational Network
Adams County maintains a massive infrastructure of 166 public schools, including 93 elementary and 31 high schools. A total of 87,473 students are enrolled across 10 different school districts, reflecting the county's significant scale.
Tracking Progress Against State Standards
The county's graduation rate of 81.2% trails the state average of 83.1% and the national benchmark of 87.0%. With per-pupil expenditure at $6,571, investment levels sit below the Colorado average of $7,447 and the national median of $13,000.
Large Districts and Charter Diversity
Aurora Joint District No. 28 and Adams 12 Five Star Schools are the largest providers, serving over 73,000 students combined. The county also offers 24 charter schools, which account for roughly 14.5% of the total school landscape.
Suburban Focus with High-Capacity Campuses
Most students attend one of the 116 suburban schools, where the average enrollment is 527 students. Horizon High School and Westminster High School lead the county in size, each supporting over 2,020 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
166
in Adams County
Reported Enrollment
87,473
166 schools reporting
School Districts
10
districts
Charter Schools
24
14% of total
School Level Breakdown
10 School Districts in Adams County
Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the counties of Adams and A
GuideAdams 12 Five Star Schools
GuideSchool District 27J
GuideState Charter School Institute
GuideWestminster Public Schools
GuideMapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St
GuideSchool District N. 14 in the county of Adams & State of Colo
GuideEDUCATION REENVISIONED BOCES
GuideBennett School District No. 29J
Strasburg School District 31J
166 Public Schools in Adams County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 16 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 166 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horizon High School | Profile | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | BRIGHTON, 80601Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,026 |
| Westminster High School | Profile | Westminster Public Schools | WESTMINSTER, 80030Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,021 |
| Northglenn High School | Profile | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | NORTHGLENN, 80221Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,959 |
| The Pinnacle Charter School | Profile | State Charter School Institute | FEDERAL HEIGHTS, 80260Suburb: Large | KG–12 | Charter | 1,940 |
| Academy of Charter Schools | Profile | State Charter School Institute | WESTMINSTER, 80031Suburb: Large | PK–12 | Charter | 1,890 |
| Brighton High School | Profile | School District 27J | BRIGHTON, 80601Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,854 |
| Prairie View High School | Profile | School District 27J | HENDERSON, 80640Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,821 |
| Mountain Range High School | Profile | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | WESTMINSTER, 80234Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,761 |
| Adams City High School | Profile | School District N. 14 in the county of Adams & State of Colo | COMMERCE CITY, 80022Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,666 |
| Stargate Charter School | Profile | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | THORNTON, 80023Rural: Fringe | KG–12 | Charter | 1,551 |
| Riverdale Ridge High School | Profile | School District 27J | THORNTON, 80602Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,463 |
| Thornton High School | Profile | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | THORNTON, 80229Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,412 |
| Bromley East Charter School | Profile | School District 27J | BRIGHTON, 80601Suburb: Large | PK–8 | Charter | 1,237 |
| Colorado Preparatory Academy Elementary School | Profile | EDUCATION REENVISIONED BOCES | WESTMINSTER, 80031Suburb: Large | KG–5 | Virtual | 1,010 |
| Rocky Top Middle School | Profile | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | THORNTON, 80602Suburb: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 1,001 |
| Silver Hills Middle School | Profile | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | NORTHGLENN, 80234Suburb: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 957 |
| Rodger Quist Middle School | Record | School District 27J | THORNTON, 80602Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 923 |
| Global Village Academy - North | Record | State Charter School Institute | THORNTON, 80241Suburb: Large | KG–8 | Charter | 832 |
| Century Middle School | Record | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | THORNTON, 80241Suburb: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 827 |
| West Ridge Elementary | Record | School District 27J | THORNTON, 80602Suburb: Large | PK–5 | Primary | 827 |
Horizon High School
Adams 12 Five Star Schools
BRIGHTON, 80601 / Suburb: Large
Westminster High School
Westminster Public Schools
WESTMINSTER, 80030 / Suburb: Large
Northglenn High School
Adams 12 Five Star Schools
NORTHGLENN, 80221 / Suburb: Large
The Pinnacle Charter School
State Charter School Institute
FEDERAL HEIGHTS, 80260 / Suburb: Large
Academy of Charter Schools
State Charter School Institute
WESTMINSTER, 80031 / Suburb: Large
Brighton High School
School District 27J
BRIGHTON, 80601 / Suburb: Large
Prairie View High School
School District 27J
HENDERSON, 80640 / Suburb: Large
Mountain Range High School
Adams 12 Five Star Schools
WESTMINSTER, 80234 / Suburb: Large
Adams City High School
School District N. 14 in the county of Adams & State of Colo
COMMERCE CITY, 80022 / Rural: Fringe
Stargate Charter School
Adams 12 Five Star Schools
THORNTON, 80023 / Rural: Fringe
Riverdale Ridge High School
School District 27J
THORNTON, 80602 / Rural: Fringe
Thornton High School
Adams 12 Five Star Schools
THORNTON, 80229 / Suburb: Large
Bromley East Charter School
School District 27J
BRIGHTON, 80601 / Suburb: Large
Colorado Preparatory Academy Elementary School
EDUCATION REENVISIONED BOCES
WESTMINSTER, 80031 / Suburb: Large
Rocky Top Middle School
Adams 12 Five Star Schools
THORNTON, 80602 / Suburb: Large
Silver Hills Middle School
Adams 12 Five Star Schools
NORTHGLENN, 80234 / Suburb: Large
Rodger Quist Middle School
School District 27J
THORNTON, 80602 / Rural: Fringe
Global Village Academy - North
State Charter School Institute
THORNTON, 80241 / Suburb: Large
Century Middle School
Adams 12 Five Star Schools
THORNTON, 80241 / Suburb: Large
West Ridge Elementary
School District 27J
THORNTON, 80602 / Suburb: Large
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,571
State avg $7,447
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Adams County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
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View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Colorado counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Colorado?
How should I read the school score in Adams County?
What is the graduation rate in Adams County?
How much does Adams County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Adams County, Colorado — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Adams County, Colorado?
Adams County maintains a massive infrastructure of 166 public schools, including 93 elementary and 31 high schools. A total of 87,473 students are enrolled across 10 different school districts, reflecting the county's significant scale.
How do schools in Adams County perform academically?
The county's graduation rate of 81.2% trails the state average of 83.1% and the national benchmark of 87.0%. With per-pupil expenditure at $6,571, investment levels sit below the Colorado average of $7,447 and the national median of $13,000.
What are the major school districts in Adams County, Colorado?
Aurora Joint District No. 28 and Adams 12 Five Star Schools are the largest providers, serving over 73,000 students combined. The county also offers 24 charter schools, which account for roughly 14.5% of the total school landscape.
What is the school experience like in Adams County?
Most students attend one of the 116 suburban schools, where the average enrollment is 527 students. Horizon High School and Westminster High School lead the county in size, each supporting over 2,020 students.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.