The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in English language arts. The lowest is 37% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Big Thompson Elementary School
Big Thompson Elementary School serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school within the Thompson School District R-2J, located in the west part of Loveland along Highway 34. The school is relatively small for an elementary grade band, with an enrollment that skews heavily toward families who identify as white, alongside a modest share of students who are Hispanic and a very small number of multiracial or American Indian students. About a third of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is lower than many Colorado elementary schools and points to a predominantly middle-income catchment area.
State testing results for the most recent year show that in both math and English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success fell below half. In science, which is tested only at fifth grade, the figure also came in under half. These results place the school in a mixed position relative to other elementary schools in Larimer County. When combining proficiency across all tested subjects and grades, Big Thompson sits above the midpoint among the county's districts, though within a cohort that itself runs the gamut from lower-performing to solidly mid-range. More than nine in ten students participated in testing, so the results reflect nearly the entire eligible population. A parent may want to talk with the school about how it addresses the subjects where proficiency is lower, particularly math, and what academic support structures are in place.
The school's setting along Highway 34 places it closer to the older, western side of Loveland rather than the newer developments pushing east toward Interstate 25. Loveland itself is a city of notable scale that blends historic downtown character with substantial commercial growth at the Centerra interchange. It is a bedroom community for Fort Collins, Denver, and other Front Range employment centers, so many families with children in the district are commuting parents. The area has seen steady population growth and expansion of its incorporated boundaries eastward, bringing new retail and medical infrastructure. Housing costs in the school's ZIP code area reflect a market that is slightly below the statewide benchmark for typical home values but still elevated relative to national averages; rents have been rising modestly. For a family considering this school, the west-side location means a more established, less densely developed corridor compared to the fast-growing east side.
The Thompson School District has won voter approval for two recent ballot measures. In 2022, residents passed a bond package and a mill levy override; the bond funds facility improvements, safety upgrades, and technology, while the mill levy provides ongoing operating revenue for staffing and class-size reduction. In 2024, voters approved another bond issue for further facility renovations and safety upgrades, plus another mill levy to support operational costs. These approved measures signal that the community has been willing to invest in its schools, and the bond work is likely being implemented across the district, including at Big Thompson. A parent moving into the area will want to check which specific projects have been completed at this school or are scheduled.
Data on chronic absenteeism and on the share of students with disabilities or English language learner status was not available for this school, so a parent should ask the school directly about those student support dimensions. The school website associated with Big Thompson Elementary is the district's site, which houses general information but not detailed local program offerings. The lack of a standalone school website may mean a parent has to dig through district pages or call the school office to learn about enrichment offerings, after-school activities, and parent involvement opportunities.
For a family seeking a smaller elementary school in a well-established western Loveland neighborhood with a largely middle-income student body and a district that has recently secured significant voter funding, Big Thompson fits that profile. The weaker areas in state testing warrant a conversation with the school about how it identifies and helps students who are below proficiency, especially before enrollment. The school does not appear to have data gaps that suggest it is a special-purpose or alternative school; it is a regular elementary public school where the missing civil rights and attendance data are simply not reported in the available source.
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