Summary:
Garfield School District No. Re-2 serves 4,695 students across 10 schools in western Colorado—6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools—with statewide rankings ranging from the 9th to 53rd percentile.
This is a district of striking contrasts. The clear standouts are Coal Ridge High School and Riverside School, both earning 3 stars and ranking above the statewide median. Coal Ridge posts the district's best graduation rate (91.5%), beats the state average on SAT Reading/Writing and Math, and has the lowest chronic absenteeism among high schools at 14.2%. Riverside is exceptional on attendance—just 7.3% chronic absenteeism, far below the state's 28.4%—and its ELA proficiency (43.1%) nearly matches the state average. At the elementary level, Kathryn Senor Elementary leads academically, with math proficiency (33.9%) close to the state average and a healthy 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio, while Cactus Valley Elementary deserves honorable mention for strong math and low absenteeism.
The other side of the coin is concerning. Wamsley Elementary is the district's lowest-ranked school (9th percentile, 0 stars), with the worst math proficiency (9.8%), highest chronic absenteeism (31.9%), highest poverty rate (60.5% FRL), and largest class sizes (26.4:1). Graham Mesa Elementary also struggles with 30.5% chronic absenteeism and just 9.8% 3rd-grade ELA proficiency. Math is the district's biggest weakness overall—elementary and middle school math proficiency sits at 23.9% versus the state's 37.3%. Across grade levels, sharp proficiency swings at several schools suggest inconsistent instruction or highly mobile student populations. The clearest bright spots are graduation rates, as both high schools meet or exceed the state average, and Rifle Middle School is steadily improving, climbing from the 20th to 27th percentile over three years.
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