Putnam Elementary School

Putnam Elementary School operates as a tight-knit elementary-level community in FORT COLLINS, Colorado, overseen by Poudre School District R-1. Current enrollment sits at 258 students spanning grades pre-K through 5. That puts it 32% smaller than the typical public school in Colorado, which averages around 379 students.

Putnam Elementary School is one of 52 schools operated by Poudre School District R-1, a district that hosts 29,381 students overall.

Looking at the student body, Putnam Elementary School reports that 51% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest looks like 38% White, 3% Black, 3% multiracial, 3% Native American. By comparison, Larimer County as a whole is about 13% Hispanic, so the school skews meaningfully more Hispanic than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 28 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 9.3:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 16.6:1, putting Putnam Elementary School tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 77% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Larimer County (around 35%), the school's rate is meaningfully above typical.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Putnam Elementary School is in the OUTPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations model, which fits a per-state line through proficiency and FRL share. Schools with this campus's poverty mix typically land near 19.9%; this one delivers 36.9%, a residual of +17.0 points.

Zooming out to the county, census data for Larimer County shows median household income runs about $93,765, roughly 53% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Larimer County runs 94 public schools (combined enrollment of about 47,159 students), of which Putnam Elementary School is one.

The closest other public school is Lincoln Middle School, roughly 0.6 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Putnam Elementary School at 4th of 6; the average score across the group is 43.5%.

Geographically, the school is in a downtown area.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 27%: 352 students in 2018 compared to 258 in 2025. Over the same period, the Hispanic share ticked down from 58% to 51%. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 11.8:1 in 2018 to 9.3:1 today.

On allk12, members of the Putnam Elementary School community share and discuss enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.