Best Public Schools in Zip Code 80643

Zip code 80643 (Keenesburg, CO) contains 4 schools serving 1,574 students across grades PK-12, all within the 3-star Weld County School District Re-3J, which ranks 48th out of 115 Colorado districts. The schools are Weld Central Senior High School (grades 9-12, 651 students), Weld Central Middle School (grades 6-8, 403 students), Hoff Elementary School (grades PK-5, 338 students), and Cardinal Community Academy Charter School (grades K-8, 182 students). No alternative schools exist in this zip code.

Cardinal Community Academy Charter School is the clear academic leader, posting 53.2% ELA and 44.6% math proficiency on CMAS tests, well above district averages of 33.7% and 29.0%. Its 8th grade science proficiency (55.6%) tops the district by more than 30 points, and its 8.6% chronic absenteeism rate is roughly four times better than the district's 29.1%. Weld Central Senior High School stands out for its 96.4% graduation rate versus 85.6% statewide, though only 38% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT Reading/Writing compared with 60% statewide. Weld Central Middle School is improving rapidly, with math proficiency jumping from 13.1% to 27.6% in one year, but it remains the lowest-performing school in the zip code. Hoff Elementary School tracks near state averages in ELA (42.4%) and math (36.4%) but lags badly in 5th grade science at 19.0% versus the 36.1% state average.

Chronic absenteeism exceeds the state average of 28.4% at Weld Central Middle School (34.8%), Weld Central Senior High School (33.1%), and Hoff Elementary School (24.8%). Cardinal Community Academy Charter School's 8.6% rate suggests attendance challenges are school-specific, not a community-wide issue. The district is mid-tier overall, yet school rankings within this zip code range from the 14th percentile to the 89th percentile, showing wide internal variation. For parents, the key takeaway is that school choice matters greatly here: Cardinal offers the strongest academics and attendance, Weld Central High reliably graduates students but with weaker college readiness, the middle school is improving but still trails benchmarks, and Hoff is solid in reading and math with a notable science gap.