Best Public Schools in Salida, CO

Salida, Colorado, is served by six schools — two elementary, two middle, and two high schools — enrolling 1,463 students, with most belonging to Salida School District No. R-32 and Salida Montessori Charter School overseen by the State Charter School Institute. The district performs well overall, with ELA proficiency of 60.5% and math proficiency of 52.5%, both comfortably above state averages of 44.7% and 37.3%. Enrollment ranges widely, from 449 students at Longfellow Elementary School down to 32 at Horizons Exploratory Academy.

Crest Academy is the clear academic standout, posting 78.9% ELA and 77.2% math proficiency — far above district and state averages — while also recording the city's lowest chronic absenteeism at 16.7%. Meanwhile, Salida Middle School, serving the same grade band, trails significantly with 60.2% ELA and 46.3% math proficiency, and its 34.6% chronic absenteeism rate is the highest in the city. Salida High School is a reliable performer with a 96.9% graduation rate and 21.5% chronic absenteeism, both better than district and state figures. Longfellow Elementary School remains a solid 4-star school, though its state percentile has declined from 84th to 71st over three years.

The most serious warning signs are at Horizons Exploratory Academy, a small high school with the highest poverty rate (53.12% free/reduced lunch), the lowest graduation rate (71.4%), and a 7.7% dropout rate, despite having the district's lowest student-teacher ratio at 9.1:1. Salida Montessori Charter School shows a remarkable split: outstanding 8th grade CMAS scores but well-below-average 3rd and 4th grade results. For parents, the takeaway is that Salida's traditional elementary and high schools are strong, Crest Academy is an excellent middle-school option, and the district's main challenges center on attendance at Salida Middle School and outcomes at Horizons Exploratory Academy.