Crested Butte Elementary School

Crested Butte Elementary School is a K–5 school in Crested Butte, Colorado, serving 303 students in the mountain community of the Gunnison Watershed School District Re1J. The school currently ranks 128th out of 943 elementary schools statewide, placing it in the 86th percentile with a 4-star rating, and that ranking has climbed steadily in recent years—from the 64th percentile in 2021–2022 to the mid-80s every year since.

Academically, the school far outpaces both its district and the state. In 2025–2026, 64.4% of students were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 40.5% districtwide and 44.7% statewide. In math, 57.9% were proficient versus 36.0% for the district and 37.3% for the state. Science results tell a similar story: 54.5% of 5th graders were proficient, well above the district's 34.9% and the state's 36.1%. The school's math performance is especially noteworthy—a roughly 20-point advantage over the state average that has held for several years. Fifth-grade results are even stronger, with 70.9% proficient in ELA and 63.6% in math. Both boys and girls have generally performed well compared to peers statewide, though which group leads has shifted from year to year.

The school benefits from a favorable student-teacher ratio of about 15 to 1 and serves a relatively low-poverty population, with roughly 16% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch. Chronic absenteeism, while still affecting about one in four students, has improved and remains below both district and state rates. There are no other schools within 20 miles, so no direct comparisons to nearby schools are available; however, against district and state benchmarks, Crested Butte Elementary is clearly outperforming expectations. Its consistent 4-star ratings and upward trajectory suggest a high-quality learning environment that adds real value for its students.