Summary:
Zip code 80246 in Denver, Colorado contains just one elementary school, McMeen Elementary School, a large PK-5 school serving 706 students in School District No. 1. Because only one elementary school exists in this zip code, this analysis focuses entirely on McMeen's performance over time, its standing relative to district and state averages, and internal trends by subject and grade level.
McMeen Elementary serves a high-need population, with 63.31% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. The school faces significant academic challenges: English Language Arts proficiency is 34.1%, math is 22.9%, and 5th-grade science is 23.0% — all below district and state averages. Math is the biggest concern, with proficiency declining as students progress from 3rd grade (24.6%) to 5th grade (20.7%). However, 4th-grade ELA stands out as a relative bright spot at 39.7%, nearly reaching the district average of 45.4%. The most alarming metric is chronic absenteeism: 54.7% of McMeen students were chronically absent in 2024-2025, nearly double the state rate of 28.4%.
On a positive note, the school is showing meaningful improvement. Its state ranking has climbed steadily from the 18th percentile to the 26th percentile over three years, and math proficiency jumped 4.7 points while science jumped 9.5 points in the most recent year. Despite this progress, McMeen remains a 1-star school, placing it in the bottom quarter of Colorado elementary schools. Reducing absenteeism and strengthening early-grade math instruction would be the highest-impact priorities going forward for this improving but still struggling school.
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