The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in English language arts. The lowest is 34% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Haxtun Elementary School
Haxtun Elementary School serves students from preschool through sixth grade in the small, rural agricultural community of Haxtun on Colorado’s Northeast Plains. It is a regular public school within the Haxtun School District No. Re-2J, and it is not a charter or magnet school. The school building sits on North Colorado Avenue, the town’s main street, placing it within walking distance of homes and civic facilities in a community that is compact enough to traverse on foot.
The student body is small and predominantly white, with a modest share of students who are Hispanic. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the working agricultural economy of the area. The town’s population has been edging downward, and the housing market remains well below the state median, keeping entry costs relatively low for a Colorado community. The local economy centers on farming, livestock, and the school district itself, with Haxtun Hospital as another notable employer. There are no large industrial employers, and the nearest city of any size is a long drive west.
Academically, Haxtun Elementary participates in the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) assessments. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or advanced was below the midpoint of what the state expects, a soft spot that a parent may want to discuss with the school. In English language arts, about half of students met the proficient benchmark, a stronger showing. Science results for fifth graders also landed around the halfway mark. When the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects is compared with other school districts in Phillips County, it places in the top quartile among the small set of districts in that county. That comparison is based on a limited cohort, but it suggests that relative to nearby rural peers, Haxtun Elementary’s academic results stand out.
The school’s grade band means there is no graduation rate to report, and no course access or staffing breakdowns were available in the data. Information on special education and English learner populations was also missing, so a family with children in those categories would want to ask the school directly about support services. Discipline and chronic absenteeism data were not provided, leaving another gap that a prospective parent may wish to clarify.
The community setting is quiet and insular. Haxtun offers a handful of civic anchors: a town hall, a police department, and a municipal airport. Street life is minimal, and there is no dedicated public transit. The school is embedded in the town’s grid, not isolated on a remote campus, which reinforces a close-knit feel. Families considering this school are likely drawn to the small scale, the straightforward layout of the community, and the fact that the elementary building is a short walk from much of the town. The declining population and limited economic diversification mean that growth pressures are absent, and the housing stock remains affordable relative to the state as a whole.
This is a school where academic proficiency varies by subject, with ELA and science landing around the middle of the state range while math trails. The relative strength within Phillips County points to a school that holds its own in a rural context. The missing pieces—on special populations, discipline, and attendance—are worth exploring before enrollment, but for a family seeking a small, rural elementary school with a stable, traditional setting, Haxtun Elementary fits that description squarely.
See more original research from School Decision →