Summary:
Zip code 80743 in Otis, Colorado is home to two small rural high schools: Otis Junior-Senior High School (grades 6-12, 102 students) in Otis School District No. R-3 and Lone Star Undivided High School (grades 9-12, 44 students) in Lone Star School District No. 101. Both serve similar low-income populations (about 56% free/reduced lunch), but the two schools tell very different stories.
Otis is the area's academic standout despite its size. It has improved sharply over three years, rising from the 29th to the 61st percentile statewide and earning a 3-star rating. Its 2024-2025 PSAT10 scores beat the state average in both reading/writing (69% vs. 64%) and math (38% vs. 36%), and its graduation rate (85.7%) is essentially tied with the state. However, Otis reports a startling 100% chronic absenteeism rate for 2024-2025—far above the state's 28.4% and even its own district's 66.8%. This is a major red flag that needs investigation, especially since the school's CMAS scores in all grades are below state averages (34.2% ELA, 18.4% math).
Lone Star is the opposite: attendance is excellent (9.1% chronic absenteeism) and it had zero dropouts in 2021-2022, yet academics are struggling. Its state ranking has fallen from the 63rd percentile in 2018-2019 to the 24th percentile now, and PSAT10 and SAT scores are well below state averages. Its graduation rate (83.3%) is slightly under the state's 85.6%. With only 44 students, small cohort swings can explain some volatility, but the pattern is clear: students show up at Lone Star, yet outcomes lag. Meanwhile, Otis students appear absent but test better—a paradox that makes this zip code a fascinating case study in how school data can sometimes contradict expectations.
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