Best Public Schools in Zip Code 80810

Schools in zip code 80810 (Cheyenne Wells, CO) serve 174 students across two small rural schools in Cheyenne County School District No. Re-5, covering grades PK-12. Cheyenne Wells Elementary School enrolls 90 students in grades PK-6, while Cheyenne Wells Junior/High School enrolls 84 students in grades 7-12, averaging just 14 students per grade level. Both schools boast remarkably low chronic absenteeism—around 7% compared to the state's 28.4%—despite more than half of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The elementary school stands out with an exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 8:1, offering strong potential for personalized instruction, while the junior/high school's ratio is 15.9:1.

Academically, the junior/high school shows a striking split: 83% of 9th graders were proficient on the PSAT 9 Reading and Writing exam, well above the state's 66%, but only 22% were proficient in math—18 points below the state average of 40%. This creates a 61-point internal gap between subjects, more than double the state's own reading-math gap. The elementary school does not have comparable test data in this set, but the district overall is ranked 30 out of 115 Colorado districts (74th percentile) with a 4-star rating, indicating solid performance. The high school's historical rankings have been volatile, swinging from the 98th percentile in 2008-09 to the 22nd percentile in 2010-11, likely due to small class sizes.

Graduation outcomes are a positive signal, with a 92.3% graduation rate reported for 2021-22, above the state's most recent 85.6%, though the dropout rate of 2.4% (2023-24) exceeds the state's 1.6% (2024-25) and comparisons are not perfectly aligned by year. Overall, Cheyenne Wells offers a tight-knit, supportive environment with excellent attendance and strong reading skills, but the critically low math proficiency at the secondary level is the clearest area needing attention. Parents should expect small class sizes and a caring community, while staying aware that math support may be essential.