The top reported proficiency rate is 82% in Math. The lowest is 74% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Henry A. Coffeen Elementary
Henry A. Coffeen Elementary sits on South Sheridan Avenue in Sheridan, Wyoming, serving kindergarten through fifth grade as part of Sheridan County School District #2. It is a traditional public school, neither a charter nor a magnet, and its enrollment is moderate for an elementary building in this region. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population that makes up the next largest share, and small representation from other racial and ethnic groups. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school does not report English-learner or special-education counts in the data we received, so we cannot characterize those populations here.
On the academic side, the picture is strong. Coffeen's state assessment results from the most recent WY-TOPP cycle show proficiency rates that sit well above what most Wyoming elementary schools produce, particularly in the early grades. Third-grade math stands out, with nearly all tested students reaching proficiency, and fourth-grade math is close behind. Third-grade ELA is similarly robust. The school's proficiency index, a composite across tested subjects and grades, places it in the top quartile relative to districts in Sheridan County, the comparison set used here. That is a clear strength. There is a pattern worth noting: proficiency dips as students move into upper elementary. Fifth-grade math falls below the earlier grades, and fourth-grade ELA is the weakest single result. This does not erase the overall strength, but a parent whose child tends toward the upper grades may want to look into this further with the school to understand what drives the drop and what supports are in place. Science, tested only in fourth grade, lands at a solid middle level.
The school has no graduation rate, chronic absenteeism figure, or course-access data, which is expected for an elementary building. We also did not receive staffing, discipline, or attendance breakdowns. Program offerings were not provided, so we cannot speak to extracurriculars, interventions, or specialized instruction. The district brief turned up no recently reported parent-relevant changes in Sheridan County School District #2, so we leave that aside rather than guess.
Sheridan itself is the economic center for a three-county area spanning northern Wyoming and southern Montana. Unlike many Wyoming towns tied to a single industry, Sheridan has a diversified service economy with healthcare, government, education, real estate, mining, financial services, and a growing manufacturing sector. Major employers include the Sheridan VA Medical Center, Sheridan College, and local government. The downtown district along Main Street is compact and walkable, with western-themed shops, restaurants, civic buildings, and arts venues, anchored by institutions like the Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library, Whitney Commons park, the WYO Theater, and the Sheridan County Courthouse. The town sits in Goose Creek Valley at the base of the Bighorn Mountains, giving residents immediate access to mountain recreation. Tourism plays a real role, driven partly by the Sheridan WYO Rodeo and proximity to Yellowstone. Publicly reported sources describe Sheridan's population as having grown modestly in recent years, with continued interest from new residents drawn to the area's quality of life.
Housing in the school's zip code runs above both state and national benchmarks. Typical home values here are notably higher than the Wyoming statewide figure and modestly above the national one. Estimated monthly mortgage costs reflect current elevated borrowing rates. Rent data was not available. For a family considering a move into this attendance area, the housing market is on the pricier side relative to much of Wyoming, though not dramatically so by national standards.
What Coffeen offers is a solidly performing elementary school in a town with genuine economic diversity and cultural life, set against the backdrop of the Bighorns. The academic results are a real draw, especially in the younger grades. The upper-grade dip and the missing program detail are the gaps a family would want to fill by visiting and asking questions.
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