Best Public Schools in Zip Code 80743

Zip code 80743 (Otis, Colorado) is home to 5 small public schools serving 311 students in grades PK-12 across two districts: Otis School District No. R-3 and Lone Star School District No. 101. The Otis district includes Otis Elementary School and Otis Junior-Senior High School, while the Lone Star district includes Lone Star Elementary School, Lone Star Middle School, and Lone Star Undivided High School. Enrollments range from 19 students at Lone Star Middle School to 102 students at Otis Junior-Senior High School, and about 52% of students across the zip code qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The two high schools are opposites. Otis Junior-Senior High School is the academic standout, climbing from the 29th to the 61st percentile in state rankings over two years and earning a 3-star rating, with PSAT10 scores above state averages (69% Reading/Writing, 38% Math). However, it reports a startling 100% chronic absenteeism rate. Lone Star Undivided High School has excellent attendance (9.1% chronic absenteeism vs. 28.4% statewide) and a 0% dropout rate, but ranks in the 27th percentile with SAT scores well below state averages. Otis Elementary School was historically a top performer (5 stars in 2013-14), though its current CMAS scores fall below state averages. Lone Star Elementary School stands out for the lowest poverty rate (35.7%) and lowest student-teacher ratio (8.6:1) in the zip code.

Math is the biggest academic challenge across the zip code: Otis Elementary School (18.2%), Otis Junior-Senior High School (18.4%), and Lone Star Undivided High School SAT Math (25%) all fall below the state average of 37.3%. The 100% chronic absenteeism at Otis Junior-Senior High School is a severe outlier dragging the Otis School District No. R-3 rate to 66.8%, and deserves investigation even though the school otherwise posts the strongest academics. With enrollments this small, a single student can shift percentages dramatically, so year-to-year changes should be interpreted with caution. Data gaps remain: Lone Star Elementary School and Lone Star Middle School have no test scores, rankings, or attendance data, making it impossible to fully assess Lone Star School District No. 101's younger grades.