The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in English language arts. The lowest is 35% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Gilpin County Elementary School
Gilpin County Elementary School is the only elementary school in the Gilpin County School District No. Re-1, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. The school sits in Black Hawk, a historic mining town that has been fundamentally reshaped by casino gaming. Black Hawk has very few permanent residents; its built environment is dominated by large casino resorts, hotels, and visitor traffic along the main highway. Civic offices are located in the restored historic downtown, but the school itself is outside that commercial core, in a setting that reflects the county’s broader mountain character rather than the town’s gaming strip. Most of the school’s families likely live in the surrounding unincorporated areas of Gilpin County, given the tiny residential population within the municipal limits.
The school is small, with an enrollment that is typical for an elementary school serving a rural county. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and even smaller groups of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a marker of economic diversity. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the provided records; a parent who needs to understand the school’s support structures for those populations would want to ask the school directly.
State testing results from the Colorado Measures of Academic Success are available for math, English language arts, and science. In math, the share of students scoring at proficient or above is below half. In English language arts, that share is roughly half. In science, tested only at fifth grade, it is around a third. These are the most recent results reported, and they offer a snapshot of academic performance at this school. The data does not include trend information across multiple years, so it is not possible to say whether performance is improving or declining. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report and no chronic absenteeism data in the record.
The district brief returned no information about recent changes or initiatives that would be relevant to a parent, such as new programs, leadership turnover, or facility investments. That absence does not mean nothing is happening, only that public sources did not surface anything readily. The school occupies a single-district county, so there is no basis for comparison with neighboring districts; the only district in Gilpin County is this one.
Housing in the area is expensive relative to national norms. Home values are high, and rents are accordingly elevated. That context matters for families considering moving into the district, though the school itself draws from a county that extends well beyond the casino corridor. The local economy is entirely built around gaming and hospitality; major employers are the casinos themselves. For a family whose work is elsewhere, the commute from Black Hawk up to the Denver metro area is a factor, but the school’s mountain setting and small size are the primary draws here.
Gilpin County Elementary School offers the standard elementary curriculum for its grade band. The data does not list specific programs such as art, music, physical education, or any enrichment or intervention offerings, so a parent should inquire directly about what is available. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and there is no information about Title I status. The overall picture is of a small, predominantly white elementary school in a county built around a single economic engine, with academic proficiency that is moderate in English language arts and weaker in math and science. A family considering this school would want to understand how the school supports students who are not yet meeting proficiency benchmarks and what extracurricular or enrichment opportunities exist for elementary-aged children in a community where the daily rhythm is shaped by casino tourism rather than typical suburban amenities.
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