Best Public Schools in Gilcrest, CO

The city of Gilcrest, Colorado, is served by three public schools in the Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-1, including Valley High School (grades 9–12), North Valley Middle School (grades 6–8), and Gilcrest Elementary School (PK–5), all serving a predominantly low-income population with free/reduced lunch eligibility above 60%.

The clear academic bright spot is Gilcrest Elementary School, which earns a 3-star rating and ranks at the 50th percentile statewide. Its English Language Arts proficiency (47.7%) surpasses the Colorado average (44.7%), and its 5th-grade reading score is notably strong. In contrast, math proficiency sits near 25% across all three schools, making math a persistent district-wide weakness. Valley High School shows a mixed profile: its 95.5% graduation rate far exceeds the state average, and 11th-grade science proficiency (30.2%) is above the state average of 24.8%. However, its SAT reading and math scores remain well below state averages, and the school struggles with chronic absenteeism at 36.8%. North Valley Middle School has the lowest dropout rate in the area (0.6%) and average attendance, but its academic performance is slipping—ELA proficiency dropped from 42.6% to 35%, and its ranking fell from the 52nd to the 35th percentile in one year.

For parents, this district offers a tale of contrasts. The elementary school proves that strong literacy outcomes are achievable even with high poverty, while the high school’s graduation rate shows a commitment to keeping students on track. Yet the weak math performance across every grade, combined with a declining middle school, suggests that students entering Valley High School may face growing academic challenges. The high school’s recent improvement in science and reading is encouraging, but the district’s low overall 1-star rating and poor math results are important caveats. Families should look closely at each school’s strengths—especially the elementary literacy program and the high school’s graduation support—while watching how the middle school trend develops.