Summary:
Zip code 81123 in Blanca, Colorado contains just one school: Sierra Grande K-12 School, an alternative school serving grades PK through 12 with 307 students as part of the Sierra Grande School District No. R-30. Since this is the only school in the district, school-level and district-level data are identical. The school serves a high-need population, with 79.15% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and has a relatively high student-to-teacher ratio of 21.7.
The school's biggest academic challenge is mathematics. On the 2025-26 CMAS exam, only 9.4% of all students were proficient in math compared to 37.3% statewide, and SAT math proficiency was just 11% versus 32% statewide. Reading scores also lagged, with ELA proficiency at 22.5% versus 44.7% statewide. However, there are genuine bright spots. In 2024-25, 11th grade science proficiency reached 44.4% compared to the state's 25.0%, and SAT Reading & Writing hit 71% versus 62% statewide. More recently, 5th grade science in 2025-26 edged out the state at 38.1% versus 36.1%.
The graduation rate of 83.3% is slightly below the state's 85.6%, while the dropout rate of 1.4% is better than the state's 1.6%. Chronic absenteeism affects 29.0% of students, just above the state average of 28.4%. One notable pattern is the large year-over-year swings in high school test scores, likely due to small class sizes — for example, SAT Reading & Writing dropped from 71% to 37% between school years. Parents should know that while math proficiency is critically low across nearly every grade, certain cohorts have performed at or above state levels in science and writing. Because the school and district are one and the same, any improvement at Sierra Grande would directly transform the entire district.
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