The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 3% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Holly School District No. Re-3
Holly School District No. Re-3 is the public school system serving the town of Holly and the surrounding area in Prowers County, in southeastern Colorado. The district is small, operating a single school called Holly School that spans pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, all on one campus. For a family or resident considering this district, the picture that emerges is of a close-knit, rural school environment where the student body is small, the housing market is notably affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, and the academic performance data shows an institution working with modest resources and facing real challenges.
The district enrolls a small number of students, with a grade-level distribution that reflects the town's population. The student body is predominantly Hispanic and White, with a very small Asian enrollment and no other racial groups represented in significant numbers. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, which often serves as a proxy for economic need, was not available for this profile. Similarly, information on students with disabilities and English learners was missing from the reporting. A parent looking into the district may want to ask the school directly about the supports available for these groups, as the data does not provide a clear picture.
Academically, the district's performance on state assessments, known as the Colorado Measures of Academic Success, sits well below state averages. For students in grades three through eight, proficiency rates in both math and English language arts were below one-third of students tested. Science proficiency rates in grades five and eight were similarly low. When compared with other districts in Prowers County, Holly District's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among its peers, which number only a handful of districts in the county. The chronic absenteeism rate, an indicator of how many students miss a significant number of school days, is high and also falls in the bottom quartile among the county's districts. This is a soft spot a family would want to understand further, as it can affect academic progress and the overall school culture.
On the resource side, the district's per-pupil spending sits in the middle range and lower half among county districts. The housing market in Holly is markedly different from the broader Colorado context. Home values in the area are a fraction of the state average, which was well over half a million dollars at the time of reporting, and also well below the national typical home value. This makes home ownership far more attainable here than in many parts of the state, though values have seen a decline. A family moving into the area would find the cost of entry for housing to be low, with estimated monthly mortgage payments on a typical home being modest relative to incomes.
The district brief, which searched for recent parent-relevant changes such as referendums, curriculum shifts, or property-tax adjustments, found no documented activity of that kind. Given the district's very small size and single-school structure, significant public changes are less common and may go unpublicized. The lack of program offerings data, such as information on Advanced Placement courses, career and technical education pathways, or dual-enrollment opportunities, is a notable gap. For a family with a high school student interested in college preparation or specialized career training, this is an area to investigate directly with the school, as the published profile does not describe what is available.
In summary, Holly School District offers a small-town, single-school educational setting in a very affordable housing market. The academic results on state tests are low compared to state and county peers, and attendance is a concern. For a family that values a very tight-knit community and can engage closely with the school to understand its specific offerings and supports, this district may be a fit. For those prioritizing a wide range of advanced academic programs or higher measured proficiency, it would be important to dig deeper.
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