Summary:
Zip code 81328 contains just one high school, Mancos High School, a small rural school in the Mancos School District Re-6 serving 142 students in grades 9–12 with a 15:1 student-to-teacher ratio. Because it is the only high school in the zip code, its data doubles as the district's data, making state comparisons the most meaningful benchmark.
The school posts a strong graduation rate of 90.6%, well above the state's 85.6%, along with a very low dropout rate of 0.6%. However, its most striking issue is chronic absenteeism: 62.2% of students are chronically absent, more than double the state rate of 28.4% and well above the district figure of 37.4%. Academically, Mancos shows a clear divide between subjects. Reading and writing scores hover near state averages, and 9th-grade PSAT reading proficiency actually beats the state (69% vs. 66%). Mathematics, however, is a persistent weakness, with just 12% of 11th graders proficient on SAT math compared to 32% statewide, and large gaps at every grade level.
There are positive signs of momentum. 10th-grade math proficiency jumped from 12% to 31%, and 9th-grade reading and writing improved from 52% to 69%. But 11th-grade SAT reading and writing slipped from 50% to 44%, meaning gains in earlier grades have not yet carried into junior year. The school's state ranking fluctuates — from 223rd (36th percentile) in 2023–2024, to 251st (23rd percentile) in 2024–2025, back up to 225th (33rd percentile) in 2025–2026, earning a 2-star rating. With a free/reduced lunch rate of 29.58%, poverty alone does not explain the academic challenges. Given the small enrollment, individual year-to-year cohort swings are likely, making sustained improvement in math and attendance the key priorities.
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