Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 161 schools in district

Westgate Elementary School

8550 WEST VASSAR DRIVE, LAKEWOOD, CO 80227Jefferson County School District No. R-1 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
352
Students
Total enrolled
$16,228
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 13% vs nat'l
16.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 8% vs nat'l
50/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 352 students in grades PK–05 in LAKEWOOD, Colorado.
13% above average funding
District spends $16,228 per pupil, 13% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 50th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Westgate Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in LAKEWOOD, Colorado, serving grades PK–05 with 352 students. The district invests $16,228 per student — 13% above the national average of $14,347, with a 16.6:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 64% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Westgate Elementary School

352
Total Students
16.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
64%
Free Lunch
21
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution189 male · 163 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility64%
National avg 52% · 226 students
Student Composition
37%
47%
Asian3%
White37%
Hispanic / Latino47%
Black6%
Multiracial7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 080480000801

Academic Outcomes at Westgate Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
50
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 50th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 79th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 80227

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,228Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,228
State avg
$22,657
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,140
Student Support$3,083
Administration$1,947
Operations$2,434
Other$1,623
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,228 spent per student, an estimated $7,189 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
37%
55%
State government
36.9%
Local (property tax)
55.3%
Federal programs
7.8%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Three Creeks K-8Bear Creek K-8 SchoolLincoln Charter AcademyJefferson Academy Elementary
+1 more
↓
Middle
Drake Junior High SchoolSummit Ridge Middle SchoolDunstan Middle SchoolCreighton Middle School
+4 more
↓
High School
Lakewood High SchoolRalston Valley Senior High SchoolArvada West High SchoolChatfield High School
+13 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyJefferson County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictJefferson County School District No. R-1 →
Phone: (303)982-9130
NCES ID: 080480000801
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in LAKEWOOD seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Jefferson County School District No. R-1
High
Lakewood High School
1,885 students · 09–12
● 41 opp43% FRL
High
Ralston Valley Senior High School
1,843 students · 09–12
11% FRL
High
Arvada West High School
1,840 students · 09–12
● 49 opp31% FRL
High
Chatfield High School
1,784 students · 09–12
● 52 opp15% FRL
High
Columbine High School
1,686 students · 09–12
● 45 opp26% FRL
High
Bear Creek High School
1,431 students · 09–12
● 50 opp53% FRL
High
Golden High School
1,416 students · 09–12
● 65 opp22% FRL
High
Dakota Ridge Senior High School
1,338 students · 09–12
● 52 opp22% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
8550 WEST VASSAR DRIVE, LAKEWOOD, CO 80227
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.