Best Public Schools in Zip Code 80517

Zip code 80517 covers Estes Park, Colorado, and is served by 3 public schools in Estes Park School District R-3, which together enroll 882 students across grades PK through 12. The district is ranked 77th out of 115 Colorado districts, placing it at the 33rd percentile with a 2-star rating, and it serves a notable percentage of economically disadvantaged students, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 39.24% at the high school to 52.44% at the elementary school.

Within the district, Estes Park Middle School stands out as the academic leader, holding the highest state ranking percentile (47th) and outperforming the district in English Language Arts. Its 6th grade math proficiency of 42% is well above the state average of 32.7%, though 7th and 8th grade math performance falls sharply below state levels. Estes Park K-5 School has the best attendance record, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 22.0%, even though it has the highest poverty rate in the district. Estes Park High School showed the most dramatic year-over-year improvement in math, with SAT Math proficiency rising from 16% to 27%, but it also has the highest chronic absenteeism rate at 36.2% and the lowest ranking percentile at 31st.

Chronic absenteeism rises sharply with grade level, from 22.0% at the elementary school to 32.4% at the middle school and 36.2% at the high school, which is 7.8 points above the state average. Science proficiency collapsed in the most recent year, dropping 16.3 points at the elementary level and 15.5 points at the middle school level. All three schools sit at or below the 47th percentile in state rankings, and no school reaches the top half of Colorado schools. The middle school is the district's best chance to move upward, but targeted interventions in 8th grade and stronger attendance efforts are needed across the district.