Weldon Valley Junior/Senior High School

Weldon Valley Junior/Senior High School is a very small rural school in Weldona, Colorado, serving 96 students in grades 7–12—about 16 per grade level. It is part of School District No. Re-20 Weldon Valley, a district ranked in the top quarter of Colorado (77th percentile, 4 stars), while nearby School District No. Re-2 Brush and School District No. Re-3 Fort Morgan rank near the bottom. The school itself is ranked 137th of 338 Colorado high schools (59th percentile, 3 stars) for 2025–26, a solid recovery from a 33rd-percentile low in 2017–18.

Parents will find several genuine strengths. Chronic absenteeism is just 13.3%—less than half the state rate of 28.4%—and far lower than Wiggins High School (22.6%), Brush High School (26.5%), or Fort Morgan High School (31.7%). Class sizes are small, with a student-teacher ratio of about 10.3 to 1, compared to 14 or higher at nearby schools. Families are also less economically stressed, with 36.5% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch versus 50% or more at Brush, Fort Morgan, and Lincoln High School. Academically, 8th graders posted a striking 63.2% proficiency rate in CMAS Science, far above the state's 36.4%, and 9th graders scored 74% proficient in PSAT Reading and Writing, above the state's 66%.

The challenges are mostly at the high school level. Only 31% of 11th graders were proficient in SAT Reading and Writing, compared to 62% statewide—the weakest among nearby schools. The 2023–24 graduation rate also dropped to 50%, down from 87.5% two years earlier. Because each grade has only about 16 students, these numbers can shift dramatically from year to year, so they're worth watching over time rather than treating as a definitive trend. Bottom line: the school offers a well-attended, close-knit environment with small classes and strong middle-school science, but families should keep an eye on high-school test scores and graduation rates.