Summary:
Zip code 80224 in Denver, Colorado is home to two high schools — George Washington High School and Delta High School — both serving grades 9 through 12 and both part of School District No. 1, though they sit on opposite ends of the performance spectrum despite sharing the same campus address.
George Washington High School is the clear standout in the area. It enrolls about 1,326 students and posts a graduation rate of 85.4%, nearly matching the state rate of 85.6% and beating the district’s 81.9%. Its dropout rate is 3.1%, well below Delta’s 5.6%, and its chronic absenteeism rate is 49.1% — still troubling but far better than Delta’s alarming 78.2%. George Washington also outperforms Delta on the sole shared test measure: 60% of its 11th graders were proficient in SAT Reading/Writing in 2024–2025, compared to just 29% at Delta. In that same year, George Washington exceeded state averages in both SAT Math (37% vs. 32%) and CMAS Science (31.5% vs. 25%), though its 2025–2026 scores dipped below state levels in every subject, signaling year-to-year variability.
Delta High School is much smaller, with only 105 students, and faces serious challenges. Its graduation rate is just 73.7%, its dropout rate is more than triple the state average, and its chronic absenteeism rate means nearly 4 in 5 students are missing significant school time. Delta also serves a higher-poverty population, with 76.2% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch compared to 55.2% at George Washington. Interestingly, Delta has a lower student-teacher ratio (15.0 vs. 20.5), yet its outcomes are far worse, highlighting that staffing alone can’t overcome high absenteeism and other barriers. Delta hasn’t received a state rank since 2018–2019, and its sparse testing data makes full comparisons difficult. For parents, the bigger school in 80224 is clearly the stronger academic choice, but both schools struggle with attendance, and even George Washington has roughly half of its students chronically absent.
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