Poudre School District R-1, CO

Original Research by School Decision on Poudre School District R-1

Poudre School District R-1 is a large, full-service public school system serving communities across northern Colorado’s Larimer County, with Fort Collins as its hub. The district’s reach extends through a mix of cities and unincorporated areas: the college town of Fort Collins, the fast-growing exurbs of Timnath and Wellington, the mountain-adjacent areas around Livermore and Laporte, and smaller places like Windsor and Carr. This gives the district a broad geographic and economic spread, from the urban core to rural and mountain settings.

Academically, the district performs notably well relative to others in Larimer County. On state assessments for grades three through eight, proficiency rates in English language arts and math sit solidly above the midpoint of the county’s districts, placing the district in the top quartile for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. That pattern holds across multiple subjects and grade levels, with science results in grades five and eight also showing proficiency levels that outpace the county average. The data here is current from the 2024-25 school year, with the exception of social studies results, which are from 2014-15 and are too old to offer a meaningful picture of current performance. A parent reading the test scores should know that while the district performs well overall, the numbers represent a substantial share of students reaching proficiency—not universal mastery—and families may want to look into how individual schools within the district compare, since the district-level figure averages across many campuses.

The district’s graduation rate was not available in the data provided, so no judgment can be made on that measure. Chronic absenteeism, however, is reported and lands above the midpoint among Larimer County’s districts, meaning a notable portion of students miss a significant number of school days. This is a soft spot worth a parent’s attention, as it can affect academic progress and school culture. Per-pupil spending is in the middle range, upper half of the county, which suggests funding is adequate but not exceptionally high compared to nearby peers.

The student body is large and predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic population and smaller shares of students identifying as Asian, two or more races, Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education, and English learner status were not reported, so it is not possible to describe the district’s level of economic or linguistic diversity from this source. The district includes more than fifty schools, among them several charter and option programs such as Liberty Common, Ridgeview Classical, Fort Collins Montessori, and Polaris Expeditionary Learning, as well as an online academy and a community academy. This range gives families a degree of choice within the public system.

Housing in the district reflects a market that is expensive relative to the nation as a whole. Home values vary widely by zip code, with higher values in Timnath and parts of Fort Collins and more modest values in Livermore and Wellington. Rents are also above the national median, and the gap between renting and buying is tight. The local economy appears stable, with the national unemployment rate at a moderate level and median household income near the national figure, though mortgage rates have risen in recent months. A family moving here should expect a competitive housing market, especially in the more sought-after neighborhoods.

The district brief reports that no major, lasting changes—such as a bond passage, mill levy override, or curriculum overhaul—were identified in recent years. That means the district’s academic trajectory and resource picture are likely to be shaped by the patterns already described rather than by a recent large-scale shift. For a parent or resident, Poudre School District R-1 offers a solid academic foundation with above-average proficiency, a wide array of school options, and a housing context that requires significant income. The chronic absenteeism rate and the lack of data on several student support measures are areas where a closer look at the individual school level would be wise.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

29,772

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 20%

Black 1%

White 70%

Asian 3%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

32%

69%

Gr 4

32%

71%

Gr 5

41%

79%

Gr 6

28%

70%

Gr 7

37%

75%

Gr 8

31%

68%

Gr 38

34%

72%

Math

Gr 3

32%

69%

Gr 4

26%

62%

Gr 5

31%

69%

Gr 6

19%

58%

Gr 7

21%

58%

Gr 8

29%

65%

Gr 38

27%

64%

Science

Gr 5

34%

68%

Gr 8

24%

62%

Schools in this District

52 schools are officially reported under this district.

Kruse Elementary School

McGraw Elementary School

Centennial High School

Bauder Elementary School

Beattie Elementary School

Bennett Elementary School

Blevins Middle School

Boltz Middle School

Cache La Poudre Middle School

Cache La Poudre Elementary School

Dunn Elementary School

Eyestone Elementary School

Fort Collins High School

Irish Elementary School

Lincoln Middle School

O'Dea Elementary School

Poudre High School

Putnam Elementary School

Riffenburgh Elementary School

Rocky Mountain High School

Tavelli Elementary School

Timnath Elementary School

Wellington Middle-High School

Harris Bilingual Elementary School

Laurel Elementary School

Traut Core Elementary School

Preston Middle School

Shepardson Elementary School

Lesher Middle School

Lopez Elementary School

Werner Elementary School

Johnson Elementary School

Linton Elementary School

Liberty Common Charter School

Ridgeview Classical Schools

Zach Elementary School

Fossil Ridge High School

Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School

Poudre Community Academy

Bacon Elementary School

Olander Elementary School

Webber Middle School

Rice Elementary School

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Bethke Elementary School

PSD Global Academy

Mountain Sage Community School

Fort Collins Montessori School

Compass Community Collaborative School

PSD Mountain Schools

Bamford Elementary School

Timnath Middle-High School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

52%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

60%

Grades 3-8

Science

2 grades reported

57%

Grade 5

53%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

38%

Grade 4

26%

Grade 7

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$547,306

Year-over-year change-2.0%

Range across 16 ZIP codes$450K to $689K

vs. state typical1.01x

vs. national typical1.49x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (16 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
80512	Livermore	$565K	-1.5%	24.1%
80536	Livermore	$606K	-2.5%	20.2%
80545	Livermore	$450K	-2.5%	15.5%
80549	Wellington	$472K	-2.1%	9.7%
80524	Fort Collins	$592K	-1.4%	5.0%
80535	Laporte	$560K	-1.8%	3.1%
80612	Carr	$640K	-1.5%	2.2%
80526	Fort Collins	$544K	-1.4%	1.4%
80525	Fort Collins	$579K	-1.1%	1.0%
80528	Fort Collins	$653K	-1.9%	1.0%

Showing top 10 of 16 ZIP codes by land area weight

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,236/mo

Year-over-year change+4.8%

Range across 9 ZIP codes$1,797 to $2,854/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (9 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
80549	Wellington	$2,419	—	9.7%
80524	Fort Collins	$2,006	+6.7%	5.0%
80526	Fort Collins	$2,022	+2.2%	1.4%
80525	Fort Collins	$1,797	+2.4%	1.0%
80528	Fort Collins	$2,308	+2.6%	1.0%
80521	Fort Collins	$2,118	+4.7%	0.8%
80547	Timnath	$2,854	—	0.3%
80538	Loveland	$2,069	+2.7%	0.3%
80550	Windsor	$2,474	+0.6%	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,762/mo

Home price / national median income6.5x

Annual rent / national median income32.0%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$525/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$543,271 (-2.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.