The top reported proficiency rate is 23% in Science. The lowest is 21% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Highland Elementary School
Highland Elementary School serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade in the small, rural agricultural community of Pierce, Colorado. It operates as a regular public school within Weld County School District No. Re-9, and it is not a charter or magnet school. The enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving these grades, with classes distributed across each grade level. A substantial share of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a notable portion of families have lower household incomes. The student population is predominantly white, with a sizable Hispanic minority and a very small number of students from other racial or ethnic backgrounds.
State testing data provides a mixed picture. The school's proficiency rate in English language arts was below the midpoint for elementary schools in Colorado, and the science proficiency rate for fifth graders was also modest. The math proficiency rate for the school was suppressed in the data provided. Importantly, the participation rate in these assessments was low, well below typical levels, which means the reported results may not fully represent the performance of the entire student body. A parent considering this school may want to ask the school’s leadership directly about that participation rate and how they understand student achievement overall. The school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects placed it above the midpoint when compared to other districts within Weld County, a relative strength given the raw rates.
The community of Pierce is a quiet, low-density town on the Colorado Eastern Plains, rooted in farming and ranching. Its commercial center is a compact stretch of Main Street with a grocery store, a mercantile shop, and historical buildings from its railroad-era past. There is no large employer in town; most residents likely commute to nearby Greeley or other parts of Weld County for work. Outdoor recreation is limited, with Antelope Reservoir a short drive east offering fishing. The town has a Town Hall, a Senior Center, and a Post Office, but no public library or public transit was identified in available sources. The housing market in the area shows home values that are moderately priced relative to national benchmarks, with the typical mortgage costing more than local rent, making renting the more affordable option.
Pierce is a small community with a slow, incremental growth pattern. Housing is predominantly owner-occupied, and the town experienced a modest population increase since the last decennial census. A major facility change is underway for the district. Voters approved a bond issue to construct a new K-8 school building on the campus of Highland Middle and High School in nearby Ault, which will replace the current Highland Elementary building in Pierce and an older middle school building. The existing elementary building, built decades earlier, has long-standing issues with heating, cooling, ventilation, and space. The new facility is designed to handle expected enrollment growth, and its construction will directly affect the elementary-aged students who currently attend this school.
Highland Elementary is a school in a rural district undergoing a major facility upgrade. Academic results from the most recent state tests were mixed, with a low participation rate that clouds the picture. For families, this is a place anchored in a small agricultural town with a tight-knit feel, where the school building itself is slated for replacement within a few years. A parent should understand that the current academic picture comes with an important caveat about test participation, and the near future includes a transition to a new campus.
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