Best Public Schools in Zip Code 80116

ZIP code 80116 (Franktown, Colorado) is home to two public elementary schools—Franktown Elementary School and Cherry Valley Elementary School—both part of the Douglas County School District No. Re 1, a top-ranked district in Colorado, with no middle or high schools located within the ZIP code. The two schools could hardly be more different: Franktown is a larger, academically strong school with 354 students in grades PK–5, while Cherry Valley is a tiny K–6 school with just 25 students and an exceptional 6.4:1 student-teacher ratio, offering far more individualized attention than Franktown’s 16.2:1 ratio.

Franktown is the clear academic leader, consistently earning 4-star ratings and ranking in the 78th–89th percentile statewide over the past three years. Its 2025–2026 CMAS scores show 59.9% proficiency in ELA and 56.0% in math, both comfortably above state averages (44.7% and 37.3%) though slightly below district averages. Science proficiency at 56.9% also tops the state’s 36.1%. However, grade-level data reveals a notable weakness: only 37.2% of 4th graders are proficient in math, compared to 60.0% in 3rd grade and 65.5% in 5th grade. Meanwhile, ELA proficiency climbs steadily from 45.5% in 3rd grade to 70.7% in 5th grade, suggesting strong cumulative growth in reading and writing. Cherry Valley has no current test scores or state rank—likely due to its very small enrollment—so academic comparison between the two schools is not possible.

Demographically, the schools serve different populations despite sharing a ZIP code. Cherry Valley has a free/reduced lunch rate of 36.0%, more than triple Franktown’s 11.3%, and its chronic absenteeism rate of 22.2% exceeds the district’s 16.6%, though it remains below the state’s 28.4%. Franktown’s absenteeism rate is just 13.0%. Franktown also saw a year-over-year decline in all subjects from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, which may reflect a different cohort or temporary dip but is worth monitoring. Cherry Valley’s low student-teacher ratio is a clear strength, though its attendance challenges and data limitations remain key considerations for parents exploring elementary options in this area.