Bennett High School

Bennett High School is a public high school in Bennett, Colorado, serving 431 students in grades 9–12 in a small eastern Colorado community. It is the only high school in the Bennett School District No. 29J, and the school currently ranks in the bottom 14th percentile of Colorado high schools, a decline from its pre-pandemic standing. Academic proficiency sits well below state averages: only 37% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT reading/writing versus 60% statewide, and just 16% are proficient in SAT math versus 32% statewide. Science proficiency has also dropped sharply in recent years, falling from about 25% to 12.6%.

These struggles stand out when compared with nearby rural schools serving similar student populations. Strasburg High School, about 5.5 miles away, ranks in the 57th percentile and posts much higher test scores along with a 96.1% graduation rate. Byers Junior-Senior High School, which has comparable poverty rates, achieves 61% reading proficiency, a 97.6% graduation rate, and far lower chronic absenteeism. Even Cherokee Trail High School, a suburban school nearby, far outpaces Bennett on every academic measure, with 78% reading and 45% math proficiency.

There are encouraging signs, however. Bennett's graduation rate jumped to 91.7%, above the state average of 85.6%, and chronic absenteeism fell from 36.4% to 28.6%. SAT math proficiency also improved from 7% to 16% in the latest year, though it remains very low. The school compares favorably to several alternative and online schools in the region on graduation and attendance. Overall, Bennett is working to rebuild academic momentum, with clear strengths in graduating students and recent attendance gains, but math and science remain urgent priorities that families should be aware of.