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Gilcrest Elementary School

Q: Is Gilcrest Elementary School a good school?

Gilcrest Elementary School ranks 469 th of 946 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-6

469^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 946 Colorado Elementary Schools

Better than 50% of Colorado elementary schools

Summary

Gilcrest Elementary School is a small PK–5 elementary school in the town of Gilcrest, CO, serving 178 students in Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-1, a district that ranks in the lower third of Colorado school districts. Despite that district context, Gilcrest sits at the 50th percentile statewide — a 3-star rating in 2025–2026. The school also has the smallest class sizes among nearby schools, with a student-teacher ratio of 13.1, and about 61.8% of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch in 2024–2025, up from 44.2% three years earlier.

Academically, the school's identity is clear: literacy is its standout subject, while math is its biggest area for growth. In 2025–2026, 47.7% of students met or exceeded state standards in English Language Arts on the CMAS — above the state average of 44.7% and well above the district's 33.3%. That's also the highest ELA proficiency among all nearby schools, topping Pioneer Ridge Elementary School at 41.5% and Milliken Elementary School at 38.7%. Math proficiency was just 24.8%, about 12.5 points below the state rate of 37.3%, and several neighboring schools — Pioneer Ridge at 44.6%, Pete Mirich Elementary School at 31.1%, and Heiman Elementary School at 27.9% — posted stronger results. Science scores have been strong but volatile, swinging from 11.1% to 41.4% over three years given the small 5th-grade cohorts.

One notable finding is Gilcrest's effectiveness with the Hispanic students it serves: in 2025–2026, the school ranked in the 75th percentile statewide for this subgroup, earning 4 stars. The school also raised ELA proficiency from 34% to 47.7% while economic need at the school climbed sharply. Chronic absenteeism is improving (25.9% in 2024–2025, down from 27.1%) but remains near state averages and far above high-performing neighbors like Pioneer Ridge (8.2%). Within its own district, Gilcrest is clearly the strongest elementary school, outpacing Pete Mirich and Platteville Elementary School in state rank, ELA, and class size. The result is a small school with strong literacy instruction, effective support for its students, and a promising upward trend — with math proficiency and attendance the key areas to watch.

178

Students ?

13.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,479

Per pupil spending ?

61.8%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Colorado receive free school meals.

1175 Birch Street
Gilcrest, CO 80623

(970) 350-4201

District: Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-1

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

68.5%

White:

29.8%

Two or more races:

1.1%

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Compare Gilcrest Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 26th percentile in 2016 → 50th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 24 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the Colorado median (50th percentile)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Colorado average (36% vs 41% meeting standards)

!Math scores 12 pts below the Colorado average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school36%

District avg29%

Colorado avg41%

469^th of 946

Colorado public elementary schools ?

Top 50%▲ up 25 pts since 2016

From bottom 26% (2016) to top 50% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Colorado Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 3Elementary Schools in the Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-1

82^nd of 114Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-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

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	45.1	469 of 946	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	45.3	489 of 950	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.7	476 of 943	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.0	611 of 933	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.1	496 of 921	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	21.4	588 of 710	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	43.4	513 of 965	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.9	425 of 917	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	42.8	482 of 929	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2016	24.1	680 of 914	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	19.4	756 of 938	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	27.2	722 of 962	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	27.1	730 of 954	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	8.4	876 of 935	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	19.6	766 of 935	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	20.7	760 of 925	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	20.8	711 of 872	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	23.7	682 of 849	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	26.6	662 of 852	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	14.2	723 of 829	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	29.7	616 of 823	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	41.8	513 of 808	36.5%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	64.0	62 of 251	75.3%	★★★★☆
2024	81.5	25 of 242	89.7%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2024	54.2	298 of 683	56.4%	★★★☆☆

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 (2026)75th percentile+25 vs school

Male (2024)56th percentile+7 vs school

By subject vs Colorado (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts48%+3 vs state

Science29%-7 vs state

Math25%-12 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

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1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, January 10, 2017

It may be small but my child is thriving at GES. She is pushed to endless possibilities of her academia and she is also acknowledged for her successes. The classroom sizes are small which allows more 1:1 attention. The Teachers are friendly and approachable and Mr. McDonald has really done a great job putting the children first. PTO is also extremely active at school and always working to better the school. Close Quote

Schools Near Gilcrest Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CMAS English Language Arts (2026)							CMAS Math (2026)							CMAS Science (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CMAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math 6th Grade	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	CMAS Science 8th Grade	Total
Gilcrest Elementary School	Public	K-6	1175 Birch Street	Gilcrest	80623	Weld County	Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-1	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 350-4201	178	14	13.1	61.8%	53 (29.8%)	0 (0.0%)	122 (68.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	45.1	469^th of 946 public elementary schools	50.4%		45.3	489^th of 950 public elementary schools	48.5%	20	42.4	42.3	54.2	53.8			47.7	33.3	23.1	731.0	730.0			24.8	29.2		$16,479
Knowledge Quest Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	705 South School House Drive	Milliken	80543	Weld County	Weld County School District No. Re-5J	Yes	No	No	No	(970) 587-5742	395	27	14.6	27.1%	261 (66.1%)	3 (0.8%)	104 (26.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	25 (6.3%)	25.2	679^th of 946 public elementary schools	28.2%		30.9	605^th of 950 public elementary schools	36.3%	74	30.0	28.3	31.0	37.8	733.0	751.0	33.8	22.5	37.0	21.4	725.0	731.0	750.0	25.2	11.9	747.0	$12,704
Milliken Intermediate School	Public	3-5	266 S Irene Ave	Milliken	80543	Weld County	Weld County School District No. Re-5J	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 587-6095	472	32	14.7	49.4%	251 (53.2%)	0 (0.0%)	208 (44.1%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.1%)	28.9	634^th of 946 public elementary schools	33.0%		20.9	727^th of 950 public elementary schools	23.5%	93	28.4	40.7	45.5				38.7	28.8	21.3	19.3				22.8	28.4		$15,362
Milliken Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	100 Broad Street	Milliken	80543	Weld County	Weld County School District No. Re-5J	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(970) 587-6200	0			—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Pete Mirich Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	300 1st Ave	La Salle	80645	Weld County	Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-1	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 350-4201	358	25	14.2	57.3%	139 (38.8%)	3 (0.8%)	199 (55.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	13 (3.6%)	30.6	614^th of 946 public elementary schools	35.1%		24	679^th of 950 public elementary schools	28.5%	65	27.1	32.8	45.7	16.7			30.1	29.2	41.9	29.2	22.2			31.1	27.7		$14,839
Platteville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1202 Main Street	Platteville	80651	Weld County	Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-1	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 350-4201	317	23	13.7	65.3%	112 (35.3%)	1 (0.3%)	195 (61.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	5 (1.6%)	19.1	757^th of 946 public elementary schools	20.0%		13.3	833^rd of 950 public elementary schools	12.3%	76	31.0	28.6	29.7	9.1			25.3	19.0	19.5	725.0	704.0			15.0	27.0		$15,824
Heiman Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3500 Palermo	Evans	80620	Weld County	GreeleySchool District No. 6	No	No	No	No	(970) 348-2400	602	32	18.7	71.9%	153 (25.4%)	5 (0.8%)	420 (69.8%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (0.8%)	13 (2.2%)	22.1	712^th of 946 public elementary schools	24.7%		15.8	796^th of 950 public elementary schools	16.2%	84	31.2	23.7	27.1				27.3	43.0	15.1	25.8				27.9	10.4		$17,220
Pioneer Ridge Elementary School	Public	K-5	2300 Cinnamon Teal	Johnstown	80534	Weld County	Weld County School District No. Re-5J	No	No	No	No	(970) 587-8100	528	34	15.5	22.2%	367 (69.5%)	3 (0.6%)	140 (26.5%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	10 (1.9%)	47	453^rd of 946 public elementary schools	52.1%		43.9	504^th of 950 public elementary schools	46.9%	51	42.1	43.9	38.6				41.5	48.7	51.8	33.7				44.6	25.3		$15,542
Dos Rios Elementary School	Public	K-5	2201 34th Street	Evans	80620	Weld County	GreeleySchool District No. 6	No	No	No	No	(970) 348-1300	499	29	17.3	73.5%	85 (17.0%)	14 (2.8%)	373 (74.7%)	15 (3.0%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	7 (1.4%)	10.8	878^th of 946 public elementary schools	7.2%		13.2	835^th of 950 public elementary schools	12.1%	43	20.9	21.5	25.3				22.4	16.3	13.2	10.1				13.3	12.7		$17,607
Centennial Elementary School	Public	K-5	1400 37th Street	Evans	80620	Weld County	GreeleySchool District No. 6	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 348-1100	481	28	17.3	80.0%	57 (11.9%)	48 (10.0%)	336 (69.9%)	25 (5.2%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.5%)	6.9	925^th of 946 public elementary schools	2.2%		8.2	916^th of 950 public elementary schools	3.6%	9	17.3	9.8	17.2				14.3	13.6	709.0	716.0				10.6	703.0		$17,767

Frequently Asked Questions about Gilcrest Elementary School

Is Gilcrest Elementary School a good school?

Gilcrest Elementary School ranks 469^th of 946 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Gilcrest Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 178 students attended Gilcrest Elementary School.

What district is Gilcrest Elementary School in?

Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-1

What schools do graduates of Gilcrest Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Valley Middle School
High : Valley High School

What is the racial makeup of Gilcrest Elementary School?

Students at Gilcrest Elementary School are 69% Hispanic, 30% White, 1% Two or more races.

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Latest Colorado data All new data »

2025–26 attendance dataNewOct 6, 2026

2025–26 CMAS, PSAT10, PSAT9 & SAT test scoresAug 19, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

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.