Summary:
The city of Lamar, Colorado is home to 6 schools serving grades K-12, including 4 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school, all part of the Lamar School District No. Re-2. While the district as a whole is ranked 94 out of 115 school districts in Colorado and rated 1 star out of 5 by SchoolDigger, one school stands out as a clear academic leader in the area - Alta Vista Charter School.
Alta Vista Charter School consistently outperforms the other schools in the district, with a statewide ranking between 198-304 out of 933-950 Colorado elementary schools over the past 3 years and a 3-4 star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's students demonstrate significantly higher proficiency rates on CMAS English Language Arts and Math assessments compared to the district and state averages. For example, in 2024-2025, 52.7% of Alta Vista students were proficient or better in ELA, versus 29% for the district and 44.8% for the state, and 41.9% were proficient or better in Math, compared to 19.9% for the district and 35.9% for the state.
In contrast, the other schools in the Lamar School District struggle with low test scores, high chronic absenteeism rates of 27.7%, and graduation/dropout rates that are concerning, with Lamar High School reporting an 84.2% four-year graduation rate and a 1.9% dropout rate. Additionally, the schools serve high populations of students from low-income families, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 44.44% at Alta Vista to 90.27% at Washington Elementary School. Addressing these challenges will be crucial for improving educational outcomes across the Lamar school system.
Thank you for your feedback!