Valley High School

Valley High School is a small public high school in Gilcrest, Colorado, serving 483 students in grades 9–12 as part of the Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-1. The school currently ranks 240th of 338 Colorado high schools, placing it in the 29th percentile with a 1-star rating. While that overall ranking is modest, Valley has improved from the 21st percentile last year, and its profile is more nuanced than a single ranking suggests. Because Valley is the only traditional high school in its district, its outcomes essentially define the district's high school performance.

Valley's clearest strength is its graduation rate of 95.5%, which is nearly 10 points above the state average of 85.6% and higher than nearby schools like Greeley Central High School (92%), Northridge High School (94.4%), and Greeley West High School (91.9%). Science is another bright spot: 30.2% of 11th graders are proficient in CMAS science, above the state average of 24.8% and roughly double the rates at the large Greeley high schools. Literacy scores are also trending upward—10th-grade PSAT reading/writing proficiency has grown from 38% to 60% over two years. With a 14.7 student-teacher ratio, the school is considerably smaller than neighboring comprehensive high schools, which may support its strong graduation culture.

The biggest challenge is math: only 19% of students are proficient on SAT math, compared to the state rate of 32%. Chronic absenteeism is also concerning at 36.8%, up from 27.7% the year before, though it remains lower than most Greeley-area schools. Economic need has risen dramatically, with the free/reduced lunch rate climbing from 41.5% to 61.1% in two years. Valley ranks above Greeley Central, Northridge, and Greeley West in overall state standing, but trails Roosevelt High School and the more selective Early College Academy. For parents, Valley offers a supportive environment where students are very likely to graduate, but math preparation and attendance are worth watching closely.