The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in Science. The lowest is 56% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Manassa Elementary School
Manassa Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in the small town of Manassa, located in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado. The community is a farming and ranching town with a grid street layout, a historic downtown along Main Street, and no traffic lights. The population blends Hispanic and Mormon pioneer heritage. The school sits within the town itself, while older students from the area attend Centauri Middle and High Schools located roughly ten miles away near La Jara. The local housing market is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, with home values well below Colorado averages.
The school enrolls a student body that is majority Hispanic, with a substantial share of white students and a very small number of students who are two or more races. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need in the community. Data on the share of students receiving special education services or classified as English learners was not available in the source information.
On state assessments administered in the most recent school year, Manassa Elementary students posted results that stand out clearly relative to other schools within Conejos County. The school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile among districts in the county. In math, a majority of students scored at the proficient or advanced level. In English language arts, a slightly larger share achieved that same benchmark. Fifth-grade science results showed the strongest performance, with a majority of test-takers reaching proficiency. Participation rates on all three tests were very high, which adds confidence to the reported outcomes. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to tell from the source material whether performance has been improving or declining over time.
Because the school only serves elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report. The school is a regular public school and is not a charter or magnet school. Information about course offerings, staffing ratios, discipline rates, or chronic absenteeism was not included in the data provided, so a parent may wish to ask the school directly about class sizes, enrichment programs, and the school climate.
The district that operates Manassa Elementary, the North Conejos School District RE-1J, recently saw voters approve a mill levy override that provides ongoing additional property tax revenue for district operations. This means residents in the district pay a higher property tax rate than they otherwise would, and the funding supports the schools. No other significant district-level changes surfaced in available public records.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a small, rural elementary school with a high-need student population and test results that are strong compared to other schools in the same county. The town itself is quiet, with limited commercial activity, a few civic anchors such as a city park and a seasonal boxing museum, and a stable population with no signs of rapid growth or new housing development. Parents of younger children will find an elementary school in town, while those with older students will need to factor in the drive to the secondary school campus. The lack of data on certain indicators such as chronic absenteeism or staffing means a prospective parent should plan to visit or call the school to get a fuller sense of daily operations and support structures.
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