Best Public Schools in Zip Code 81624

ZIP code 81624 in Collbran, Colorado, is served by 4 schools spanning grades PK-12, all part of the Plateau Valley School District No. 50 and sharing a single rural campus with 303 total students. The district includes Plateau Valley Elementary School (PK-6), Plateau Valley Junior High School (7-8), Plateau Valley High School (9-12), and Grand Mesa High School (9-12). Because enrollments are very small, test scores and graduation rates can swing sharply from year to year.

The district's two high schools show dramatically different outcomes. Plateau Valley High School is the clear standout, earning 3 stars and ranking in the 54th percentile, with a 95.8% graduation rate, a 1.0% dropout rate, and an excellent 8.2:1 student-teacher ratio. By contrast, Grand Mesa High School is deeply struggling, with a 1-star rating, a 31.1% graduation rate, a 24.0% dropout rate, and a much higher 23.3:1 student-teacher ratio. The district's 52.3% average graduation rate masks these two very different realities. Meanwhile, Plateau Valley Junior High School is an academic weak spot, with just 22.2% ELA proficiency versus 44.7% statewide, and the highest chronic absenteeism in the district at 26.8%. Plateau Valley Elementary School shows bright spots, with ELA proficiency above the state average.

Math and science are district-wide weaknesses, with elementary math at 35.5% and junior high math at just 25.9%, well below state averages. Poverty is fairly consistent across the district, with 43-46% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, so poverty alone does not explain the wide gap between the two high schools. Grand Mesa's low chronic absenteeism of 8.1% is likely misleading, reflecting students who have already dropped out rather than genuine engagement. Families should know that this small rural district has a strong elementary ELA program and a high-performing traditional high school, but significant challenges exist in the middle school transition, math and science instruction, and the severe academic and graduation crisis at Grand Mesa High School.