Park Elementary School

Park Elementary earns an Exceptional rating — and the numbers explain why. Among 1,815 public schools in Colorado, it ranks #24, placing it in the top 1% statewide. Within Durango, it sits second out of 14 schools.

Those aren't small-sample flukes: the school's 9.4 growth score signals that students are making academic gains at a rate that few programs in the state can match. The school serves 439 students in grades PK through 5. A 13.7-to-1 student-teacher ratio keeps class sizes manageable, giving teachers the bandwidth to address individual learning needs.

That structural advantage shows up in the scores: 9.2 for academics, 9.0 composite — both well above state norms. What separates Park from other high-scoring elementaries is how the growth score contributes. Outperforming 99% of Colorado schools is notable; achieving a 9.4 growth score alongside a 9.2 academic score shows a program producing results on both dimensions, not just one.

Park also ranks 19th among Colorado's 1,006 public elementary schools — a result earned as a regular public school with no selective admissions. For families evaluating elementary options in the Durango area, few schools in the state offer a comparable profile.