Prairie Hills Elementary School

Set in THORNTON, Colorado, Prairie Hills Elementary School is a moderately sized K-5 school, operated by Adams 12 Five Star Schools. It instructs 378 students across grades K through 5.

Prairie Hills Elementary School is one of 54 schools operated by Adams 12 Five Star Schools, a district that educates 34,466 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Prairie Hills Elementary School lists that 57% of the student body identifies as White; the rest reads as 25% Hispanic, 10% Asian, 7% multiracial. Compared to Adams County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

In terms of school funding signals, Prairie Hills Elementary School lists 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 17.6:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 16.6:1 average. About 30% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Adams County runs at roughly 62%, so the school's eligibility rate is below the surrounding baseline.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Prairie Hills Elementary School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 48.4% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 48.0%.

In the area at large, census data for Adams County shows median household earnings sit near $94,571, roughly 29% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Prairie Hills Elementary School is one of 171 public schools in Adams County (combined enrollment of about 87,938 students).

The closest other public school is Tarver Elementary School, roughly 0.7 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Prairie Hills Elementary School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Prairie Hills Elementary School at 3rd of 8; the average score across the group is 41.0%.

The campus sits in an outer-ring setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged down 24%: 499 students in 2018 compared to 378 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 72% to 57% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 21.2:1 in 2018 to 17.6:1 today.

On allk12, the feed for Prairie Hills Elementary School typically covers pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.