Summary:
School District No. Re-5 Plateau is a small, two-school district in the rural community of Peetz, Colorado, serving 204 students across Peetz Elementary School (PK–5, 114 students) and Peetz Junior-Senior High School (6–12, 90 students). The district carries a 5-star rating and is ranked No. 1 out of 115 Colorado districts, but that top ranking masks a dramatic divide between its two schools.
Peetz Elementary School is the clear academic leader and one of the top elementary schools in the state. Its state ranking has soared from the 47th percentile in 2013–2014 to the 94th percentile in 2025–2026. In 2025–2026, 57.4% of its students were proficient in English Language Arts and 48.9% in math, both well above state averages, while 5th-grade science proficiency hit 72.2% versus 36.1% statewide. By contrast, Peetz Junior-Senior High School has declined from the 93rd percentile a decade ago to currently sitting below state averages, with only 27.5% proficient in math and 32.5% in ELA. The elementary school outperforms the state by roughly 12 percentage points in both subjects, while the high school trails by a similar margin—a 25-point swing within the same small district.
The most striking red flag is chronic absenteeism. More than half of high school students (51.6%) are chronically absent, versus just 16.7% at the elementary school and the 28.4% state average. This attendance crisis likely drives the high school's low proficiency, even with a favorable 10.5:1 student-teacher ratio and relatively low poverty rates. Despite these struggles, the high school's graduation rate (85.7%) matches the state average exactly, suggesting credit-recovery or flexible pathways are keeping students on track. For the district to truly earn its No. 1 ranking, improving attendance and achievement at Peetz Junior-Senior High School must be the top priority.
Thank you for your feedback!