The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Fred Tjardes School of Innovation
Fred Tjardes School of Innovation is a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade regular public school in the Greeley-Evans School District 6. Its name signals a specific approach, and the school serves a relatively small student body. The enrollment is small for a combined elementary and middle school, and the grade-level groups are all comparable in size, giving the school a compact, intimate feel. The student body is diverse, with a roughly even split between white and Hispanic students, along with a small share of students who identify as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the working-class character of much of Greeley.
The school sits in a city that blends agricultural roots with a college-town identity. Greeley is home to the University of Northern Colorado and Aims Community College, and its economy is anchored by meatpacking, healthcare, education, and government. The downtown area has an entertainment district and the Union Colony Civic Center, while the broader built environment is auto-oriented. The district recently passed a major bond and mill levy override to fund safety upgrades, facility improvements, and staff recruitment and retention. A new K-12 pre-engineering academy has been built as a choice option, and the district has implemented new literacy and math intervention programs in response to academic performance.
On state assessments, the school's performance is a central point for families to evaluate. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above was below the midpoint among Weld County districts, a soft spot that a parent may want to look into further with the school. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was stronger and landed above the midpoint relative to other districts in the county. Science scores for both fifth and eighth grade were suppressed in the reporting, meaning results were not publicly released, which often reflects a very small tested population in those grades rather than a meaningful gap. Participation rates on tests were high, a positive sign for data reliability.
The school's academic context is shaped by its district's broader challenges and investments. The district's own data shows below-average proficiency compared to the state, and the intervention programs the district has launched are a direct response to those numbers. For a family considering Fred Tjardes, the school's small size and its innovation-focused identity are defining characteristics, but there is limited public information available about what that innovation means in practice. No program offerings, course access data, or detailed curricular descriptions were available in the data, so a parent would need to contact the school directly to understand what distinguishes it from other district elementary and middle schools. Similarly, data on discipline, staffing, and attendance was not available, leaving open questions about school climate and consistency.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. The neighborhood comparison shows that overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places the school above the midpoint among Weld County districts, a position that reflects the relative strength in English language arts pulling up the combined index. For a family weighing options in Greeley, Fred Tjardes offers a small-scale, diverse environment in a district that is investing in facilities and academics, but the academic data shows uneven results, with math proficiency as a clear area the school and district are working to address. The school's innovation label and small enrollment may appeal to families seeking an alternative to larger traditional schools, but the specific programs and approach would require direct inquiry to get a fuller picture.
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