The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 22% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Holly School
Holly School is the single public school serving the town of Holly and the surrounding area in southeastern Colorado’s Prowers County, covering preschool through twelfth grade in one building. As a regular public school, it is the sole campus of the Holly School District No. Re-3, a small rural system where every student from kindergarten through senior year attends the same facility. The enrollment is small for a PK–12 school, and the grade-level groups are modest in size, creating a setting where students likely know most of their classmates across the age span.
Academically, the school’s state assessment results reflect a community working with limited resources. On the Colorado Measures of Academic Success, the share of students in grades three through eight scoring proficient or above in math is below the statewide average. The English language arts proficiency rate is somewhat higher but still trails the state. In science, tested in grades five and eight, the proficiency rates are lower. These numbers place Holly School toward the higher end when compared with other districts in Prowers County—the school sits in the top quartile among the county’s six districts on an overall proficiency index. That means that while the absolute scores are modest, they are stronger than many neighboring rural districts. The graduation rate was not available in the data, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its four-year completion rate and what pathways are available for seniors.
About two-thirds of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, indicating that the school serves a community with a high share of lower-income households. The student population is predominantly Hispanic and white, with a very small Asian enrollment and no other racial groups reported. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was missing from the data provided, which is a gap a family might wish to explore with the school.
Holly itself is a small, rural statutory town that has been stable or slowly declining in population since the end of its sugar beet industrial era decades ago. The town owns its own electric, water, and waste services, and the local government along with the school district are the primary employers. Housing is inexpensive by national and state standards; the typical home value has fallen recently, making this one of the more affordable places in Colorado. The town is compact, with most amenities within walking distance—parks, a swimming pool, a movie theater, a community center, and a walking trail along the Arkansas River. There is no significant new development or growth pressure.
The school itself does not report program offerings in the available data—no information on Advanced Placement, career and technical education, dual enrollment, or extracurricular activities was present. Similarly, discipline data, staffing ratios, and attendance rates were not included. For a school that covers all grades in one building, the absence of program details is a notable gap; families interested in the breadth of high school course options or specialized supports may need to contact the school directly. The district has no recent documented changes such as bond measures, curriculum overhauls, or boundary shifts that would affect current families.
Holly School offers a straightforward, small-town educational experience for families who want their child to attend a single school from kindergarten through graduation in a setting where the community and campus are tightly connected. The academic results are modest in absolute terms but competitive within Prowers County. The school serves a population with high economic need, and the town shows few signs of rapid change. For a family considering the area, the key unknowns—graduation rate, program availability, and special education data—are worth following up on directly.
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