Challenge School

Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah

9659 EAST MISSISSIPPI AVENUE
DENVER, CO 80231

550 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

Challenge School, located in Denver, Colorado, is a highly regarded magnet school that serves students in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade. It is well-known for its rigorous academic environment and its focus on gifted and talented education. The school operates with a specialized curriculum designed to challenge high-achieving students, encouraging critical thinking, advanced problem-solving, and a deep engagement with core subjects like mathematics, science, and the humanities.

Beyond its academic intensity, Challenge School fosters a structured community that emphasizes personal responsibility and intellectual growth. Because it is a magnet program within the Denver Public Schools system, admission is competitive and based on specific criteria. The school is consistently recognized for its high performance metrics and serves as a premier destination for families in the Denver area seeking a fast-paced, enriched educational experience for their children.

550

Total Students

30.0

Full-Time Teachers

18.3

Student/Teacher Ratio

17.6%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Challenge School
Demographic	Student Count
White	200
Hispanic	49
Black	92
Asian	152
Two or More	56
Pacific Islander	1

White
200 (36.4 %)
Asian
152 (27.6 %)
Black
92 (16.7 %)
Two or More
56 (10.2 %)
Hispanic
49 (8.9 %)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah
Phone:	(720)747-2100
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	550
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	30.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	18.3
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	85
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	12

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 24

Grade 1 44

Grade 2 44

Grade 3 63

Grade 4 66

Grade 5 74

Grade 6 87

Grade 7 78

Grade 8 70