The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in English language arts. The lowest is 42% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Alta Vista Charter School
Alta Vista Charter School is a public charter school serving kindergarten through sixth grade in Lamar, Colorado. It operates under the authority of Lamar School District No. Re-2, though as a charter it has its own governance and educational approach. The school is located on a county road outside the center of town, so families should expect a rural setting and a commute by car.
The school is small, with an enrollment of roughly that size for an elementary and middle school. Each grade, from kindergarten through sixth, has a similar number of students. The student body is majority white, with a substantial Hispanic population and very small numbers of Asian and multiracial students. A meaningful share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a degree of economic diversity. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, which is an important gap for families who need to understand how the school serves those populations. A parent should ask the school directly about special education and English language support.
Academically, the school produced a clear set of results on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success. In math, about half of students met or exceeded proficiency standards across grades three through eight. In English language arts, the share reached a higher level, comfortably above half. In science, tested in fifth grade, the proficiency rate was close to the half mark. Participation rates were full. When compared to other schools in Prowers County on an overall proficiency index, Alta Vista placed in the top quartile. That is a solid performance in a six-district county where the cohort median for this measure sat below the school’s result, meaning Alta Vista’s test outcomes are stronger than the typical school in the area.
Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. The school’s academic focus is on the elementary and middle years, and families considering it will want to think about what comes after sixth grade. The district, Lamar Re-2, operates the secondary schools that students would transition into.
The community context matters. Lamar is a small city that anchors a broad agricultural region in southeastern Colorado. It has a historic downtown, a community college, a critical access hospital, and a Amtrak station on the Southwest Chief route. The economy was once boosted by a bus manufacturing plant that closed, and the population has been slightly declining. Housing values in the area are significantly lower than the state median, making the community more affordable than many parts of Colorado. The school itself sits outside the city on a county road, reinforcing a rural, car-dependent arrival.
No recent changes in district policy or operations were publicly reported, so the landscape for families is relatively stable. Alta Vista is a charter elementary school that serves a small, diverse community and posts test results that are above the local average. For a family looking for a smaller school environment in a rural, affordable part of southeastern Colorado, with solid but not exceptional academic outcomes in the tested grades, it fits that profile. The gaps in available data around special education and English learner services mean a thorough conversation with the school is warranted before enrolling.
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