Best Public Schools in Zip Code 80231

Zip code 80231 contains 4 schools within School District No. 1 — three elementary schools serving PK–5 and one middle school serving grades 6–8, with no high school located in the area. Total enrollment is 2,465 students, and school sizes range from 510 to 775 students. Overall academic performance trends below both district and state averages across the zip code, with low math proficiency and high chronic absenteeism serving as the two most significant challenges. Because there is no local high school, students must leave the zip code after completing 8th grade, which adds an extra transition challenge for families in this area.

The standout school by a wide margin is Rocky Mountain Prep Creekside, which ranks in the 66th percentile for elementary schools and posts the strongest academic results despite having the highest poverty rate (85.9% free/reduced lunch). It is the only school in the zip code to exceed district and state averages in math, and its chronic absenteeism rate of just 12.8% is dramatically better than the other three schools. At the opposite end, Joe Shoemaker School is a major concern, ranking in the 9th percentile with only 7.3% math proficiency and 57.7% chronic absenteeism. Holm Elementary School sits in the middle at the 35th percentile, with ELA proficiency of 37.2% and math at 26.0%. Hamilton Middle School, the only middle school in the zip, ranks in the 18th percentile with weak proficiency rates and a 51.7% chronic absenteeism rate, though its 0.9% dropout rate is actually below both the district and state averages.

Chronic absenteeism is the clearest differentiator between strong and struggling schools in this zip code, with the gap between Rocky Mountain Prep Creekside at 12.8% and the other schools all above 43% indicating that attendance plays a major role in academic success. Math is a systemic weakness across the area outside of RMPC, with proficiency at Joe Shoemaker (7.3%), Hamilton (17.5%), and Holm (26.0%) all far below the state average of 37.3%. Additionally, every school in the zip code saw a decline in ELA proficiency from the previous year. For parents evaluating schools in 80231, the choice is sharply divided: RMPC is clearly outperforming expectations, while the other three schools face significant academic and attendance hurdles that families should carefully consider.