Schools in Zip Code 80642

Zip code 80642, serving the small community of Hudson, Colorado, is home to just two schools within the Weld County School District Re-3J: Hudson Elementary School (grades PK–5) and Weld Re-3J Online Innovations (grades K–12 alternative). With a combined enrollment of 413 students, there is no standalone middle or high school, so families seeking a traditional secondary experience must look outside the zip code or consider the online option.

Hudson Elementary School is the area’s traditional anchor, enrolling 303 students in a high-poverty context (65% free/reduced lunch). It stands out for outperforming its district in both ELA and math across recent years, and its 5th-grade math proficiency (40.4%) actually tops the state average (39.3%). The school’s chronic absenteeism rate of 22.7% is better than the district (29.1%) and state (28.4%), a notable achievement despite the challenges. However, science proficiency is alarmingly low at just 9.7% of 5th graders meeting state standards, compared to 39% statewide. While Hudson’s overall ranking has climbed from the 39th to 43rd percentile, it remains a 2-star school, with ELA proficiency still trailing the state by about 8–12 points.

In contrast, Weld Re-3J Online Innovations serves a smaller, more vulnerable population of 110 students with a much higher student-teacher ratio (27.5) and a chronic absenteeism rate of 60%—more than double the district and state averages. Although its graduation rate (85.1%) is near the state average and its dropout rate (0.6%) is low, SAT reading/writing proficiency among 11th graders plunged from 44% to 17% in a single year, a dramatic decline that highlights academic risk in this alternative setting. For parents, the choice is clear: Hudson Elementary offers a stable, improving brick-and-mortar education with relative strengths in math and attendance, while the online school, despite a decent graduation rate, faces serious engagement and achievement challenges.