Summary:
In zip code 80461 (Leadville, Colorado), there are two public elementary schools—Lake County Intermediate School (grades 3–6) and Lake County Elementary School (grades PK–2)—both part of Lake County School District No. R-1, serving roughly 507 students combined. The district itself ranks near the bottom of Colorado (4th percentile), which sets a challenging context for families exploring these schools.
There are notable differences between the two buildings despite similar enrollment (259 vs. 248). Lake County Intermediate has a much lower student-teacher ratio (14.3) than Lake County Elementary (19.8), meaning intermediate students get more individual attention on paper. However, Lake County Elementary serves a smaller share of students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch (48.0% vs. 66.8%) and has slightly lower chronic absenteeism (10.2% vs. 13.2%). Both schools post attendance figures far better than the district average of 25.7%, yet strong attendance has not translated into strong academic results, suggesting the struggles are not simply about showing up.
The only school with current state test data is Lake County Intermediate. Its 2025–2026 CMAS results show proficiency well below state averages in every subject, especially 4th grade math, where just 6.3% of students are proficient—a 32.7-point gap from the state. All-grade math proficiency is also weak (15.7% vs. 37.3%). On a positive note, the school improved markedly in ELA (18.9% to 25.5%) and science (13.1% to 21.9%) year over year, while math remained flat. Because Lake County Elementary only serves PK–2, it has no recent test scores or ranking, so the transition from that school into intermediate is a critical point for parents to monitor.
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