The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in English language arts. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Simla Junior High School
Simla Junior High School serves grades six through eight as a regular public school within the Big Sandy School District in the small rural town of Simla, Colorado, located in southern Elbert County. It is a small school, with a student body that is mostly white alongside a smaller Hispanic population. About half of the students come from households qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a meaningful share and suggests the school serves a community with a range of economic circumstances.
On state assessments, the school’s results present a distinct picture depending on the subject. In English language arts, a majority of students met or exceeded the state proficiency standard, a solid showing. In math, a substantially smaller share reached that bar, and in eighth-grade science the share was similar to math. Taken together, these results put the school in the top quartile for overall proficiency relative to other districts in Elbert County. That framing matters because the comparison set is small—only six districts in the county—so top-quartile positioning here is a strong local standing rather than a statewide one. A parent considering this school should note the gap between literacy and math performance; the school’s math outcomes are a soft spot worth asking about directly.
The community context of Simla informs what kind of experience a middle schooler will have. The town is very small, with a population that has been declining or flat over recent decades. It sits along US Route 24, about a 45-minute drive to Colorado Springs one way and about half that to Limon the other way. The town’s built environment is typical of a high-plains railroad and highway town, and the school itself, Big Sandy High School located in Simla, is described as a civic focal point with a notable athletic tradition. For a family, this means the school sits at the center of a small, tight-knit community where the school and town life are closely linked. The district’s recent public record does not show major changes such as curriculum overhauls, bond measures, or leadership shifts that would signal a disruption for incoming families, so the school appears to be operating on a stable footing.
What is not available in the data matters to a full picture. There is no information on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or course access such as elective offerings, advanced coursework, or special programs. A parent may want to ask the school directly about class sizes, enrichment options for middle schoolers, and how the school supports students who are below proficiency in math. Data on students with disabilities and English learners is also missing, so the extent of special education supports is not documented here.
For a family looking at Simla Junior High, the fit would depend on what they value. It is a small rural school in a community where the school is a central institution. The English language arts outcomes are a strength in the local context. The math and science results are areas where the school has room to improve, and a parent moving to the area should inquire about the school’s approach to those subjects and any interventions in place. Housing in the Simla area is more affordable than the Colorado state benchmark, with home values rising modestly, which may appeal to families seeking a lower-cost entry point in Elbert County. The declining local population suggests a stable but not growing community, which can be a consideration for families thinking about longer-term trends in the area.
See more original research from School Decision →