Best Public Schools in Zip Code 80227

Zip code 80227 contains 9 schools serving roughly 4,907 students across Jefferson County School District No. R-1 and School District No. 1, with an official breakdown of 4 elementary, 2 middle, and 3 high schools — though Bear Creek K-8 School serves grades K–8 and Summit Academy serves grades 6–12. The area is economically diverse but leans toward higher poverty, with a weighted average free/reduced lunch rate of about 58.9%. Chronic absenteeism is a systemic concern: the average across the 9 schools is 43.8%, well above the state average of 28.4%.

Green Gables Elementary School is the clear academic standout — it is the only school with proficiency at or above state averages (49% ELA, 38.4% math) and has by far the lowest chronic absenteeism at just 15%, earning a 54th-percentile state rank. Bear Creek High School posts the best high school outcomes with a 93.0% graduation rate, a 1.0% dropout rate, and a 51st-percentile rank. Several schools are improving: Traylor Academy jumped from the 8th to 27th percentile, Bear Valley International School rose from 25th to 33rd, and John F Kennedy High School saw 11th-grade science proficiency surge above the state average. Summit Academy faces the most severe challenges with 92% FRL, 69% chronic absenteeism, and a 56% graduation rate, while Westgate Elementary School ranks at the 6th percentile with very low proficiency.

Chronic absenteeism is the defining crisis: every school except Green Gables exceeds the state rate. Even Bear Creek HS, which graduates 93% of students, has 40% chronic absenteeism. Math is a regional weakness — Green Gables is the only school above the state math average, and high school SAT math proficiency ranges from 17% to 30%. Poverty correlates closely with achievement, though Westgate Elementary School is an outlier: its FRL rate is similar to Traylor's, yet its ELA proficiency is nearly half. Bear Creek K-8 School outperforms Carmody Middle School in 8th-grade ELA and science, suggesting a K-8 model benefit. Traylor Academy shows a fade-out pattern, with 3rd-grade ELA above the state average but 5th-grade scores dropping sharply. The good news: Traylor, Bear Valley, and JFK are demonstrating that improvement is achievable even in challenging contexts.