Best Public Schools in Peetz, CO

Peetz, Colorado is home to two public schools — Peetz Elementary School and Peetz Junior-Senior High School — both part of the small, rural School District No. Re-5 Plateau, which serves a combined enrollment of roughly 204 students across grades PK through 12 on a single campus. The district is currently ranked #1 out of 115 Colorado districts (99th percentile, 5 stars), making this tiny community a notable statewide standout.

Peetz Elementary School is the clear academic leader, ranked #57 of 943 Colorado elementary schools (94th percentile, 5 stars) and climbing from the 47th percentile in 2013–2014 to the 94th percentile today. It exceeds state averages in every subject, with exceptionally strong 5th-grade science (72.2% proficient vs. 36.1% statewide) and healthy attendance (16.7% chronic absenteeism vs. 28.4% statewide). By contrast, Peetz Junior-Senior High School tells a very different story: ELA proficiency has dropped to 32.5% (vs. 44.7% statewide), math sits at 27.5% (vs. 37.3% statewide), and 51.6% of students were chronically absent in 2024–2025 — more than triple the elementary school's rate and nearly double the state average. The high school's ranking has also declined from the 97th percentile in 2012–2013 to the 71st percentile by 2017–2018.

The district's #1 ranking is largely driven by the elementary school, masking significant challenges at the high school. Low poverty rates (23.7% and 27.8% free/reduced lunch eligibility) don't explain the achievement gap, and a lower student-teacher ratio at the high school (10.5 vs. 14.6) hasn't translated into better outcomes. Graduation rates mirror the state average at 85.7%, but chronic absenteeism likely explains much of the proficiency gap. With only 90–114 students per school, percentages can swing sharply with just a handful of students, yet the larger pattern is clear: Peetz Elementary School is high-performing and improving, while Peetz Junior-Senior High School needs targeted support around attendance and core academics.