Summary:
Zip code 81639 in Hayden, Colorado is served by a single elementary school, Hayden Valley Elementary School, which enrolls 232 students in grades PK–5 and has a favorable 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio. This small, relatively higher-income school (24.1% free/reduced lunch) is part of Hayden School District No. Re 1 and has shown remarkable progress over the past two years, climbing from the 18th percentile in state rankings for 2023–2024 to the 48th percentile for 2025–2026. In just one year, ELA proficiency jumped from 31.3% to 43.8% and math proficiency surged from 21.6% to 39.2%.
In the most recent testing year (2025–2026), math has become a clear strength, with proficiency (39.2%) surpassing both the district (23.9%) and the state (37.3%). ELA proficiency (43.8%) is nearly on par with the state average (44.7%) and far ahead of the district's 31.3%. Grade-level highlights include 4th-grade ELA at 50% (above the state's 47%) and 3rd-grade math at 50% (above the state's 41.5%). However, 3rd-grade ELA (33.3%) and 5th-grade math (31.4%) lag behind state averages, and 5th-grade science is a significant concern at just 20% proficiency versus the state's 36.1%.
Chronic absenteeism at Hayden Valley Elementary is 18.4%, notably better than the district (21.4%) and state (28.4%), which likely supports academic momentum. Compared with the district as a whole, the school is outperforming expectations in both ELA and math, and its two-year upward trajectory suggests effective instructional changes or interventions are taking hold. For parents, this school offers small class sizes, strong attendance, and rising test scores, though science instruction and consistency across grade levels—especially in 3rd-grade ELA and 5th-grade math—remain areas to watch.
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