Summary:
Zip code 80809 in Cascade, Colorado, is home to just one elementary school, Ute Pass Elementary School, a small PK–6 school serving 174 students in the Manitou Springs School District No. 14, a highly rated district that ranks 16th out of 115 districts in Colorado. Because there is only one school, this summary focuses on how Ute Pass Elementary compares to its district and the state, and what that means for parents.
Ute Pass Elementary is a solid, above-average school that outperforms Colorado state averages in both English Language Arts and math. Overall, 56.4% of students are proficient in ELA and 48.2% in math, compared to state rates of 44.7% and 37.3%, respectively. The school also has a remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of 11.6%, versus 28.4% statewide, and a favorable student-to-teacher ratio of 12.4. The strongest grade is 6th, where 72.9% of students meet ELA standards and 56.5% meet math standards—both far above district and state levels. However, 5th grade is a clear weak spot: math proficiency drops to just 19.0%, science to 25.0%, and ELA to 40.9%, all well below district and state averages. This is likely a cohort-specific issue, but it is worth monitoring if you have a child entering 5th grade.
Academically, Ute Pass Elementary runs ahead of the state but trails its own district slightly in ELA (56.4% vs. 58.0%), while leading the district in math (48.2% vs. 42.2%). The school has earned a consistent 3-star rating over the past three years, ranking in the 62nd to 69th percentile of Colorado elementary schools, with its most recent 2025–2026 rank at 308th out of 943 schools. With low chronic absenteeism, small class sizes, and a strong district backing, Ute Pass Elementary offers a stable and supportive learning environment, even though it is not a top-tier school statewide. Parents should feel confident in the school’s overall performance while keeping an eye on the 5th-grade math and science gaps.
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