Public schools in Thornton, CO
38 open public schools with an address in Thornton, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
38
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
21,742
38 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
17.6:1
Colorado median 15.4:1
Charter schools
3
11 magnet · 1 virtual
An overview of Thornton public schools
The federal directory lists 38 public schools in Thornton, CO: 21 elementary, 5 middle, 8 high, 4 combined or other. The 38 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 21,742 students, an average of 572 per school. The largest campus is Riverdale Ridge High School (1,784 students), and the largest elementary school is Discovery Magnet School (692).
Adams 12 Five Star Schools operates the most schools here (23), and 3 regular districts have at least one Thornton campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 17.6:1, higher than the statewide school median of 15.4:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 3 charter schools, 11 magnet schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 11 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 8 of 11 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 53% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Thornton
Elementary schools in Thornton
21| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achieve Academy Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St · Magnet | PK–08 | 370 | 17.6:1 | |
| Brantner Elementary School School District 27J | PK–05 | 574 | 16.5:1 | |
| Cherry Drive Elementary School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | PK–05 | 325 | 16.3:1 | |
| Clayton Partnership School Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St · Magnet | KG–08 | 430 | 18.6:1 | |
| Coronado Hills Elementary School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | PK–05 | 412 | 14.7:1 | |
| Discovery Magnet School School District 27J | KG–08 | 692 | 19:1 | |
| Eagleview Elementary School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | KG–05 | 451 | 16.7:1 | |
| Explore Pk-8 Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St · Magnet | PK–08 | 557 | 19.8:1 | |
| Hunters Glen Elementary School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | PK–05 | 491 | 18:1 | |
| McElwain Elementary School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | KG–05 | 361 | 14.4:1 | |
| Meadow Community School Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St · Magnet | PK–08 | 378 | 17.2:1 | |
| Prairie Hills Elementary School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | KG–05 | 378 | 17.6:1 | |
| Riverdale Elementary School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | PK–05 | 372 | 16.2:1 | |
| Silver Creek Elementary Adams 12 Five Star Schools | KG–05 | 538 | 17.9:1 | |
| Skyview Elementary School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | KG–05 | 326 | 13.2:1 | |
| Stellar Elementary School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | KG–05 | 418 | 16.7:1 | |
| STEM Launch Adams 12 Five Star Schools · Magnet | KG–08 | 677 | 14.7:1 | |
| Tarver Elementary School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | PK–05 | 475 | 21.3:1 | |
| Thornton Elementary School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | PK–05 | 387 | 13.8:1 | |
| West Ridge Elementary School District 27J | PK–05 | 690 | 17.2:1 | |
| Woodglen Elementary School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | PK–05 | 383 | 17:1 |
Middle schools in Thornton
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Century Middle School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | 06–08 | 717 | 18.6:1 | |
| Rocky Top Middle School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | 06–08 | 1,052 | 18.5:1 | |
| Rodger Quist Middle School School District 27J | 06–08 | 855 | 18.6:1 | |
| Shadow Ridge Middle School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | 06–08 | 632 | 16.3:1 | |
| Thornton Middle School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | 06–08 | 721 | 16.4:1 |
High schools in Thornton
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy High School Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St · Magnet | 09–12 | 399 | 17.7:1 | |
| Mapleton Early Career Preparation Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St · Magnet | 09–12 | 306 | 19.3:1 | |
| Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St · Magnet | 09–12 | 393 | 16.9:1 | |
| New America School - Thornton Adams 12 Five Star Schools · Charter · Alternative School | 09–12 | 190 | 27.1:1 | |
| North Valley School for Young Adults Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St · Magnet · Alternative School | 09–12 | 102 | 22.2:1 | |
| Pathways Future Center Adams 12 Five Star Schools · Virtual · Alternative School | 06–12 | 386 | 19.5:1 | |
| Riverdale Ridge High School School District 27J | 09–12 | 1,784 | 21.7:1 | |
| Thornton High School Adams 12 Five Star Schools | 09–12 | 1,439 | 16.3:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Thornton
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool on Poze Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St · Magnet | PK–PK | 193 | 16.8:1 | |
| Stargate Charter School Adams 12 Five Star Schools · Charter | KG–12 | 1,572 | 19.5:1 | |
| Westgate Community School Adams 12 Five Star Schools · Charter | KG–12 | 540 | 20:1 | |
| York International Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St · Magnet | KG–12 | 776 | 19.4:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White32.7%
- Hispanic52.3%
- Black1.7%
- Asian8.3%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial4.4%
Enrollment-weighted across 38 Thornton schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (21,742 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Thornton
How many public schools are in Thornton, CO?
The current NCES directory lists 38 open public schools with a location address in Thornton: 21 elementary, 5 middle, 8 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 21,742 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Thornton?
Schools with an address in Thornton belong to 3 education agencies, led by Adams 12 Five Star Schools (23 schools), Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St (10 schools), School District 27J (5 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Thornton?
Riverdale Ridge High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Thornton, with 1,784 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Thornton?
Yes. 3 of the 38 public schools in Thornton are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including New America School - Thornton, Stargate Charter School, Westgate Community School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Thornton schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Thornton public schools is 17.6:1, higher than the Colorado school median of 15.4:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Thornton guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Colorado cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Colorado cities