Summary:
Zip code 80513 is home to one public high school, Berthoud High School, which serves grades 9 through 12 and enrolls 722 students in the Thompson School District R-2J area of northern Colorado. For parents exploring this area, the picture is very positive: Berthoud High School is a stable, high-achieving school that consistently outperforms both its district and the state across most academic measures. It has earned a 4-star rating and ranks in the 75th percentile statewide for three consecutive years, placing it among the top quartile of Colorado high schools.
Academically, Berthoud shines brightest in reading/writing and science. On the 2025–2026 CMAS Science test, 46.2% of 11th graders were proficient, compared to 32% for the district and just 24.8% statewide. SAT Reading/Writing proficiency reached 73%, well above the state’s 60%, and PSAT 9 Reading/Writing hit 77%, outpacing both the district and state by nearly 10 points. Math is the school’s relative weak spot: while 44% of 11th graders were proficient on SAT Math (versus 32% statewide), that rate is far below the school’s own reading/writing scores, suggesting an area for future focus. Graduation is another strength, with 93.0% of students graduating in 2024–2025, above the district’s 90.9% and the state’s 85.6%, and the dropout rate is a low 0.9%. The school also serves a relatively affluent population, with only 14.68% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, and maintains a student-teacher ratio of 19.6 to 1.
One concern that stands out is chronic absenteeism: 26.8% of students were chronically absent in 2024–2025, slightly higher than the district’s 25.0% and only modestly better than the state’s 28.4%. This attendance challenge coexists with strong test scores and graduation rates, meaning most students who attend regularly perform very well. Additionally, science proficiency improved sharply from 39.3% to 46.2% year-over-year, while SAT Reading/Writing dipped slightly from 76% to 73%, indicating a generally stable but mixed trend. For parents considering Thompson School District R-2J, Berthoud High School stands out as a reliable, top-quartile school with excellent literacy and science outcomes, a strong graduation rate, and a watchful eye needed on attendance and math proficiency.
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