Kiowa High School

Kiowa High School is a very small rural high school in Kiowa, Colorado, serving 67 students in grades 9–12 as part of School District No. C-2. The school consistently ranks in the mid-tier of Colorado high schools, sitting near the 43rd–46th percentile over the past four years. About 43% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch — far higher than nearby Douglas County schools like Legend High School (13%) and Ponderosa High School (16%). Despite these economic challenges, Kiowa posted a 96.2% graduation rate in 2023–2024, well above the state average of 84.2%.

Academically, Kiowa shows a sharp split between literacy and math. Reading and writing scores are competitive with or above state averages — 70% of 9th graders were proficient in PSAT9 Reading/Writing versus 66% statewide. But math is a persistent weakness: only 22% were proficient in PSAT9 Math versus 40% statewide, and Kiowa has not met the state average in any math assessment in recent years. Wealthier neighbors like Legend High School (55%) and Ponderosa High School (49%) are roughly 27–33 points ahead in math. With a 12.1 student-to-teacher ratio, Kiowa offers small classes and individualized attention, which likely helps explain its strong literacy scores and high graduation rate.

The most significant concern is chronic absenteeism. At 34.7% in 2024–2025, it's the highest among all comparison schools — above Elizabeth High School (25.4%), Elbert Junior-Senior High School (25.9%), Ponderosa High School (20.7%), and Legend High School (16.4%) — and it's risen from 28.6% the prior year. With such a small enrollment, that's roughly one in three students missing school regularly, and it's likely tied to the low math performance. Kiowa is clearly a school with genuine strengths — literacy, small classes, and strong graduation outcomes — but parents should be aware that attendance and math instruction are areas needing attention.