Gardner Valley School

Gardner Valley School is one of the rural-scale elementary-level communitys in GARDNER, Colorado, overseen by Huerfano School District Re-1, with 82 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 8. Enrollment runs roughly 78% leaner than the state mean of about 379.

Gardner Valley School is one of 3 schools operated by Huerfano School District Re-1, a district that caters to 442 students overall.

Looking at the student body, Gardner Valley School reports that the most-represented group is White (51%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Other groups include 40% Hispanic, 7% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 78% White, putting the school's mix noticeably less White than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Gardner Valley School has 7 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 11.4:1. The state averages around 16.6:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 73% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Gardner Valley School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 22.4%; this one delivers 15.1%.

In the surrounding community, Huerfano County reports that median household earnings sit near $52,526, about 26% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 11%. In all, Huerfano County runs 5 public schools (combined enrollment of about 680 students), of which Gardner Valley School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Rye Elementary School, around 16.2 miles off. Among the 6 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Gardner Valley School ranks 6th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 38.3%.

The campus sits in a countryside setting. As a public charter, Gardner Valley School runs on public funding but with greater curricular and operational autonomy than a typical district school.

Trend over the last 7 years. Gardner Valley School's enrollment has showed little movement since 2018, when it stood at 84 (now 82). Hispanic enrollment moved from 55% to 40% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 17.5:1 in 2018 to 11.4:1 today.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Members of the school community can share what they know.