Summary:
ZIP code 80528 in Fort Collins, Colorado is served by two public middle schools—Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School and Preston Middle School—both part of Poudre School District R-1, a highly rated district ranked 12th out of 115 in Colorado. The two schools together enroll 1,330 students in grades 6–8 and participate in the CMAS state testing program in English Language Arts, Math, and Science.
Kinard is the clear academic standout. It is ranked 10th out of 469 Colorado middle schools for 2025–2026 (98th percentile, 5 stars), and it has been a top-20 school for three consecutive years. Preston, meanwhile, is ranked 122nd (74th percentile, 4 stars) and has slipped from 86th in 2023–2024. The proficiency gap is enormous: Kinard scores 78.1% proficient in ELA versus Preston's 56.4%, and 79.3% versus 47.0% in Math. In 8th-grade Science, Kinard hits 73.0%, while Preston sits at 37.5%. Kinard exceeds state averages by 33–42 points, while Preston stays just above state averages but below district averages in every subject.
The two schools also show different demographic and attendance profiles. Kinard has a free/reduced lunch rate of 11.8% versus Preston's 29.8%, and chronic absenteeism of 14.6% versus 27.8%. Interestingly, Preston has a lower student-teacher ratio (16.3 vs. 18.8) yet lower test scores, suggesting factors like curriculum and attendance matter more than class size. Both schools report 0% dropout rates. Families in 80528 have two very distinct school options: Kinard offers elite, top-2% statewide performance, while Preston is a solid, above-state-average school that trails its nearby counterpart considerably.
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