Hotchkiss Elementary School

Hotchkiss Elementary School is one of the modestly sized elementary campuss in HOTCHKISS, Colorado, part of Delta County Joint District No. 50, with 297 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 8. Compared to the state average of about 379 students per school, that is 22% leaner than typical.

Across the 17 schools in Delta County Joint District No. 50 (4,591 students total), Hotchkiss Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Demographically, Hotchkiss Elementary School logs that 79% of the student body identifies as White; the rest looks like 18% Hispanic, 3% multiracial.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Hotchkiss Elementary School has 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 13.8:1. The state averages around 16.6:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 49% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Hotchkiss Elementary School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 36.9%; this one delivers 37.7%.

In the surrounding community, community-level numbers for Delta County indicate the typical household earns roughly $57,774 per year, about 27% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 10%. In all, Delta County runs 18 public schools (combined enrollment of about 4,591 students), of which Hotchkiss Elementary School is one.

The closest other public school is North Fork High School, roughly 1.2 miles away. 4 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Hotchkiss Elementary School ranks 5th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 42.9%.

Geographically, the school is in a countryside area.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Hotchkiss Elementary School has edged down 13%, going from 341 students in 2018 to 297 in 2025. Class-load math has narrowed: from 15.5:1 in 2018 to 13.8:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.