Best Public Schools in Zip Code 81137

Zip code 81137 is served by three public schools in Ignacio, Colorado—Ignacio Elementary School (grades K–5), Ignacio Middle School (grades 6–8), and Ignacio High School (grades 9–12)—all part of the Ignacio School District No. 11Jt, which ranks in the bottom 3% of Colorado districts. The district serves a largely low-income population, with free and reduced lunch eligibility ranging from 47.8% to 55.6%, though student–teacher ratios are favorable at roughly 9 to 11 students per teacher.

Among the three schools, Ignacio Middle School currently holds the highest state ranking at the 19th percentile, though it slipped from a 2-star rating the prior year. Ignacio High School shows the strongest reading and writing performance—PSAT10 reading/writing reached 47% proficiency in 2025-26, and 11th-grade science actually exceeded the state average the previous year. Ignacio Elementary School has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate of the three (39.1%) and the highest science proficiency in the most recent testing year (26.2%). Still, all three schools sit in the bottom quintile of state rankings, with the high school at the 12th percentile, elementary at the 15th, and middle school at the 19th.

Chronic absenteeism is a significant concern across the district, with rates between 39% and 42%—well above the state average of 28.4%. Math is the weakest subject at every level, from 11.4% proficiency in elementary school to just 8% on the high school SAT math exam. Test scores also declined sharply in 2025-26, particularly in middle school ELA (down 14 points) and high school science (down from 33.3% to 12.5%). While smaller class sizes and pockets of reading strength offer a foundation to build on, the district faces urgent challenges in stabilizing test scores, improving attendance, and addressing math achievement across all grade levels.