Best High Schools in Zip Code 80206

Zip code 80206 in Denver, Colorado is served by exactly one high school: East High School, a large public school educating grades 9 through 12 in the heart of the city. As the sole high school in this area, it stands out on its own merits as a consistently high-performing institution within School District No. 1, ranking in the 81st percentile statewide with a 4-star rating for three consecutive years. This is especially notable because the district itself ranks in only the 38th percentile among Colorado districts, making East High School a clear bright spot and a major outlier in academic performance.

East High School, with an enrollment of roughly 2,476 students, dramatically outperforms both its district and the state across nearly every metric. The graduation rate stands at 93.9%, compared to 81.9% for the district and 85.6% for the state, while the dropout rate is just 0.6% versus 3.2% district and 1.6% state. Test scores reinforce this picture: in 2025–2026, SAT Reading/Writing proficiency reached 77% (district 52%, state 60%), PSAT10 Reading/Writing reached 82% (district 58%, state 65%), and 11th-grade CMAS Science hit 42.8% (district 18.2%, state 24.8%). English/Language Arts is a particular strength, with reading/writing scores running 14 to 24 percentage points above the district. Mathematics, while still well above district and state averages, is the relative weakness, with SAT Math proficiency at 49% compared to 77% for reading/writing—a gap of 28 points.

The most significant red flag is chronic absenteeism. At 36.1%, East High's rate is slightly better than the district's 38.1% but 7.7 percentage points worse than the state's 28.4%. This is surprising given the school's strong academic outcomes and suggests a large portion of students are missing substantial instructional time despite high achievement. Still, with about one-third of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a moderate student-to-teacher ratio of 21.2, and consistent top-quartile ranking over the past three years, East High School proves that a large urban school can deliver exceptional results. For families in 80206, it is an academically excellent, reliable, and highly regarded choice.