School District 27J
Public
Regional · 3 towns Grades PK–12 B-School Grade
Public schools for Thornton, Commerce City and Brighton, and parts of Lochbuie.
At a glance
24,044Students enrolled
33Schools
3Towns served
$12,959Spent per student
20:1Student–teacher ratio
49%Free / reduced lunch
School path
Where would my kid go?
Grades 9–12
Horizon High School or Riverdale Ridge High School or Thornton High SchoolDepends on your addressAdams 12 Five Star SchoolsGrades 7–8
Otho E Stuart Middle School or Kearney Middle School or Adams City Middle SchoolDepends on your addressThis districtGrades 7–8
Prairie View Middle School or Overland Trail Middle School or Vikan Middle SchoolDepends on your addressThis districtBased on district boundaries from the U.S. Department of Education. Where a town has more than one school at a grade, your street decides; check with the district before you enroll.
Academic performanceDistrict vs CO
Math proficiency20%
State average 30.4%
Reading / language arts37%
State average 47%
Graduation rate (4-year)86%
State average 81.7%
EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (tests 2020–21; graduation 2019–20). The tick marks the state average.
Where the money goes
$12,959
per student each year · 18% below the CO average
Spending
Paid for by
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances (fiscal 2024).
Enrollment · last 5 years
19,008’20
20,357’21
22,713’22
23,139’23
24,044’24
Students
Hispanic · 52%12,501
White · 36%8,765
Asian · 4%938
Two or more races · 4%908
Black · 3%766
American Indian/Alaska Native · 0%88
Across the district's schools, as reported to NCES.
Towns served
Also covers small parts of Lochbuie.
Schools33 in district
Bromley East Charter SchoolElementary · Grades PK–8 · 1,214 students · Brighton
C+CharterFoundations AcademyElementary · Grades K–8 · 763 students · Brighton
B+CharterLandmark Academy at ReunionElementary · Grades K–8 · 758 students · Commerce City
A-CharterReunion Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 742 students · Commerce City
B+PublicTurnberry ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 742 students · Commerce City
CPublicSecond Creek Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 697 students · Commerce City
C-PublicDiscovery Magnet SchoolElementary · Grades K–8 · 692 students · Thornton
PublicWest Ridge ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 690 students · Thornton
B+PublicSouthlawn Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 673 students · Commerce City
PublicElaine S. Padilla Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 672 students · Brighton
PublicMary E Pennock Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 592 students · Brighton
C+PublicBrantner Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 574 students · Thornton
B+PublicJohn W Thimmig Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 531 students · Henderson
C-PublicSoutheast Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 527 students · Brighton
C-PublicBelle Creek Charter SchoolElementary · Grades K–8 · 519 students · Henderson
C+CharterNortheast Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–6 · 470 students · Brighton
DPublicHenderson Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 357 students · Henderson
C-PublicSouth Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 337 students · Brighton
DPublicRodger Quist Middle SchoolMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 855 students · Thornton
CPublicOtho E Stuart Middle SchoolMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 794 students · Commerce City
C+PublicPrairie View Middle SchoolMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 679 students · Henderson
C+PublicOverland Trail Middle SchoolMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 581 students · Brighton
C-PublicVikan Middle SchoolMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 528 students · Brighton
C-PublicPrairie View High SchoolHigh · Grades 9–12 · 1,809 students · Henderson
C+PublicRiverdale Ridge High SchoolHigh · Grades 9–12 · 1,784 students · Thornton
BPublicBrighton High SchoolHigh · Grades 9–12 · 1,733 students · Brighton
B-PublicEagle Ridge AcademyHigh · Grades 9–12 · 593 students · Brighton
ACharterThe STEAD SchoolHigh · Grades 9–12 · 421 students · Commerce City
Charter27J Online AcademyHigh · Grades 6–12 · 336 students · Brighton
PublicInnovations & OptionsHigh · Grades 6–12 · 235 students · Brighton
CPublicSchool data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES). Ratings are from neighbors on TownTapestry.
Nearby districts
District facts from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory and school district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau's school finance survey. Test scores and graduation rates from EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings reflect opinions, not an official measure of school quality.