The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in English language arts. The lowest is 46% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lopez Elementary School
Lopez Elementary School is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Fort Collins, Colorado, as part of Poudre School District R-1. The school’s enrollment is moderate for its grade band, with classrooms spanning early childhood through upper elementary. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population that makes up roughly a quarter of the school and small shares of Asian students and children who identify as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a measure of economic need that is noticeable but well within what many neighborhood public schools in this region see. No data was available on the share of students receiving special education services or English learner support, so families who need that information would want to ask the school directly.
Academically, Lopez Elementary shows a pattern of solid, above-average performance when compared with other schools across Larimer County. On state assessments in English language arts, roughly half of students scored at the proficient level or above, while math proficiency was slightly lower and science proficiency for fifth graders fell just below half. Combined across tested subjects, the school’s overall proficiency places it among the higher-performing schools in the county. For a parent reading state results, these numbers suggest that most students are meeting grade-level expectations, with room for growth in math and science. Because the school only serves elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was not available in the records reviewed.
The school sits in Fort Collins, a mid-sized city that blends the energy of a college town with a diverse economy anchored by Colorado State University, several large manufacturers, and technology employers. The historic Old Town district offers a walkable core of restaurants, breweries, and shops, and the city maintains an extensive network of bike lanes and trails as well as a Bus Rapid Transit line. Housing in the area is expensive relative to national averages; home values and rents are elevated, and the cost of buying versus renting leans in favor of renting for many households. The community has grown steadily, particularly to the south, and the Poudre School District is one of the area’s largest employers.
We looked for recent district-level changes such as bond measures, mill levy overrides, or curriculum shifts that might affect Lopez Elementary, but found no developments that met a four-year, lasting-impact bar. No program offerings, such as specific enrichment or intervention models, were listed in the available data, so the school’s academic approach beyond the standard state curriculum is a detail parents would want to explore during a visit or by contacting the school directly. The overall picture is of a neighborhood elementary school that serves a diverse-by-income student body and posts above-average academic results within its county, set in a city with strong employment and a high cost of living.
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