Crowley County Junior and Senior High School

Crowley County Junior and Senior High School is a small, combined junior/senior high school in Ordway, Colorado, serving 156 students in grades 7–12 within the Crowley County School District Re-1-J. The school has struggled academically in recent years, earning a 1-star rating and ranking in the 18th percentile of Colorado high schools—a significant decline from its 4-star, 79th-percentile standing a decade ago. Test scores in English language arts (22.9% proficient), math (16.7%), and science (28.6%) all fall well below state averages. The 11th-grade SAT results are especially concerning: just 10% of students scored proficient in math, compared to 32% statewide, and only 50% were proficient in reading/writing versus 62% statewide.

Compared to nearby schools, Crowley County's graduation rate of 83.3% is the lowest among its regional peers, trailing Fowler High School (95.8%), Swink Junior-Senior High School (89.5%), Rocky Ford Junior/Senior High School (87.8%), and Manzanola Junior-Senior High School (86.7%). The school also has a notably high student-to-teacher ratio of 22.2—roughly double Fowler's ratio and far above every nearby school—which likely limits individualized attention. On a more positive note, the dropout rate is a relatively low 1.1%, and chronic absenteeism of 36.3%, while above the state average, is comparable to Fowler and better than Rocky Ford and Manzanola.

One encouraging sign is that Crowley County's low-income students perform relatively better than the school's overall ranking suggests. In 2022–2023, the Low Socioeconomic Status subgroup ranked in the 55th percentile statewide, earning a 3-star rating. The school also outperforms Manzanola in core academics, including ELA and SAT reading/writing. However, the comparison with Swink Junior-Senior High School is particularly telling: Swink has a similar poverty rate yet dramatically better outcomes, including 80% SAT reading/writing proficiency, 45% SAT math proficiency, and lower absenteeism. This suggests that Crowley's challenges—especially in math and college readiness—are not simply a product of demographics, but may stem from staffing constraints, limited resources, and the need for targeted instructional support.