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Putnam Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5
349th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 950 Colorado Elementary Schools
Better than 63% of Colorado elementary schools
Summary

Putnam Elementary School is a public elementary school in Fort Collins, Colorado, serving 261 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Poudre School District R-1. While the district is ranked 14 out of 115 in Colorado and has a 4-star rating, Putnam Elementary faces several challenges that impact its academic performance.

Putnam Elementary has seen a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 27.7% to 40.2% in recent years, significantly higher than the district and state averages. Academically, the school's CMAS test scores lag behind, with only 29.9% of students proficient or better in Math, compared to 52.2% for the district and 35.9% for the state. Additionally, there are notable disparities in performance between student subgroups, with female students and male students ranking 567th and 334th out of 649 and 642 Colorado elementary schools, respectively, in 2022-2023.

Putnam Elementary's high rates of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 81.99% to 88.24%, may contribute to the school's academic challenges. When compared to nearby schools in the district, such as Dunn Elementary, which had 58.8% of students proficient or better in CMAS Math, Putnam's performance is significantly lower. By addressing the key areas of concern, such as chronic absenteeism and academic achievement, the school and district can work to improve the educational outcomes for all Putnam students.

258
Students ?
9.3
Student/teacher ratio ?
$21,571
Per pupil spending ?
77.1%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 1400 Maple Street
       Fort Collins, CO  80521-1717

(970) 488-7700

District: Poudre School District R-1


Students who attend Putnam Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Lincoln Middle School
High:    Poudre High School
Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
50.8%
White:
38.4%
African American:
3.1%
more
 See top rated Colorado elementary schools

 Compare Putnam Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!
At a glance
Ranking trend: Improving — 28th percentile in 2014 → 63rd in 2025
Strengths
Ranking is trending up — up 35 percentile points since 2014
Above the Colorado median (63rd percentile)
Small classes — about 9 students per teacher
Worth a look
!High chronic absenteeism (44% vs 28% Colorado)
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school37%
District avg56%
Colorado avg40%
349th of 950
Colorado public elementary schools ?
Top 37%▲ up 41 pts since 2015
From bottom 23% (2015) to top 37% (2025)
See the entire ranking list of Colorado Elementary Schools →
SchoolDigger rating ?
21st of 30Elementary Schools in the Poudre School District R-1
14th of 115Poudre School District R-1 among Colorado districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankColorado percentileRating
202561.1349 of 95063.3%★★★☆☆
202436.1554 of 94341.3%★★☆☆☆
202325.7661 of 93329.2%★☆☆☆☆
202212.4843 of 9218.5%☆☆☆☆☆
201923.5731 of 96524.2%★☆☆☆☆
201818.6744 of 91718.9%★☆☆☆☆
201713.4828 of 92910.9%★☆☆☆☆
201612.5837 of 9148.4%☆☆☆☆☆
201522.1725 of 93822.7%★☆☆☆☆
201431.1693 of 96228.0%★☆☆☆☆
201330.6696 of 95427.0%★☆☆☆☆
201229.8689 of 93526.3%★☆☆☆☆
201136.2641 of 93531.4%★★☆☆☆
201039.2612 of 92533.8%★★☆☆☆
200947.5498 of 87242.9%★★☆☆☆
200841.1546 of 84935.7%★★☆☆☆
200751.0468 of 85245.1%★★☆☆☆
200633.7587 of 82929.2%★☆☆☆☆
200532.7596 of 82327.6%★☆☆☆☆
200439.9523 of 80835.3%★★☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankColorado percentileRating
202314.1567 of 64211.7%★☆☆☆☆
201926.9539 of 75828.9%★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankColorado percentileRating
202587.218 of 24792.7%★★★★★
202449.7107 of 24255.8%★★★☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankColorado percentileRating
202347.5334 of 64948.5%★★☆☆☆
201923.0583 of 76423.7%★☆☆☆☆
How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)
Hispanic (2025)93rd percentile+29 vs school
Male (2023)49th percentile+19 vs school
Female (2023)12th percentile-17 vs school
By subject vs Colorado (2024-2025) ?
Science48%+9 vs state
English Language Arts41%-4 vs state
Math30%-6 vs state

5.0
5 ratings · 2 written reviews
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What people are saying
by a parent
Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Open Quote Putnam Elementary really cares about each and every student in that school. The staff are truly amazing and very supportive. They truly care about how they can help each student be successful. Close Quote


by a parent
Saturday, July 12, 2014

Open Quote Our family loves Putnam Elementary school! This is one of the most diverse schools in Fort Collins. The curriculum is designed to meet students at their learning level, and every time I visit my son's classroom, the children are actively engaged in learning. Putnam also has an excellent behavioral management program; the children are respectful to one another, and I have great trust in both leadership and staff. Keep in mind that English language learners' abilities may not be best represented by standardized test scores. Close Quote





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Frequently Asked Questions about Putnam Elementary School

In the 2024-25 school year, 258 students attended Putnam Elementary School.

Students at Putnam Elementary School are 51% Hispanic, 38% White, 3% African American, 3% American Indian, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander.

Putnam Elementary School ranks 349th of 950 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Putnam Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Lincoln Middle School
High : Poudre High School


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Colorado Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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