Schools in Zip Code 81090

Zip code 81090 serves Walsh, Colorado, a small rural community in the Arkansas Valley, and is home to Walsh School District No. Re-1, which operates just two schools: Walsh Elementary School (PK–6, 105 students) and Walsh High School (7–12, 72 students). With a combined enrollment of roughly 177 and no standalone middle school, the high school serves as a blended secondary campus, and both schools have high poverty rates with over 65% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

Despite these challenges, both schools show notable strengths. Chronic absenteeism is remarkably low — 9.2% at Walsh Elementary and 15.1% at Walsh High School, compared to 28.4% statewide — signaling strong family engagement and a supportive climate. Class sizes are small, with student-teacher ratios of 9.7 and 12.7 respectively, and English language arts proficiency is relatively competitive: in 2024–2025, Walsh High School hit 40.7% (state 44.8%) and Walsh Elementary reached 39.1%. The high school also posted a graduation rate of 80% and a dropout rate of just 1.7%, essentially matching the state.

The primary concern is math proficiency. In 2025–2026, only 15.6% of elementary and 14.3% of high school students were proficient in math, versus 37.3% statewide. Scores also dropped sharply from the prior year in both ELA and math, likely reflecting cohort swings in a very small district. Because the district has only two schools, its averages are simply the blend of these buildings, offering limited independent context. The high school’s 7–12 structure also mixes middle and high school data — for example, 8th grade science proficiency is 21.1%. Overall, Walsh schools provide stable, supportive environments with strong attendance and modest academic results, but math proficiency — sitting at roughly half the state average or lower — remains the clearest area needing attention.