Is Zach Elementary School a good school?

Yes! Zach Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 8 th of 943 Colorado elementary schools.

How many students attend Zach Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 470 students attended Zach Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Zach Elementary School?

Students at Zach Elementary School are 63% White, 12% Asian, 11% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 3% African American.

What schools do graduates of Zach Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Zach Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Preston Middle School High : Fossil Ridge High School

Zach Elementary School

Summary:

Zach Elementary School is a highly-rated public elementary school in Fort Collins, Colorado, serving 475 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It is part of the Poudre School District R-1, which is ranked 11th out of 116 school districts in Colorado and has a 5-star rating.

Zach Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state in academic performance, with 83.1% of students proficient or better in CMAS/English Language Arts, compared to 59.3% for the district and 44.1% for the state. In CMAS/Math, Zach had 85.8% proficient or better, compared to 50.1% for the district and 34.2% for the state. The school has been ranked among the top 10 elementary schools in Colorado for several years, reaching as high as 3rd in the state. Zach also excels in the performance of specific student subgroups, ranking highly for female, male, and white students. Additionally, the school has a strong gifted and talented program, ranking 2nd out of 22 Colorado elementary schools in this category.

While Zach Elementary outperforms the district and state averages, some nearby schools within the Poudre School District, such as Bethke Elementary and Werner Elementary, also demonstrate strong academic performance, ranking in the top 10-15% of Colorado elementary schools. This suggests that the Poudre School District as a whole is providing a high-quality education to its students. Zach Elementary's diverse student population and strong performance across different subgroups indicate a commitment to equity and inclusion, while its relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch and small class sizes may contribute to its exceptional academic results.

Detail:

Public K-5

3715 Kechter Road
Fort Collins, CO 80528-9543

(970) 488-5100

District: Poudre School District R-1

SchoolDigger Rank:
8^th of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,796

Students who attend Zach Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Preston Middle School
High:	Fossil Ridge High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.2

Number of students: 470

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.2%

Asian:

12.1%

Hispanic:

11.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 13.2%

See top rated Colorado elementary schools

Compare Zach Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Zach Elementary School ranks better than 99.2% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks first among 30 ranked elementary schools in the Poudre School District R-1! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 98.07. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (63.2%), Asian (12.1%), Hispanic (11.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 13.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Zach Elementary School is 16.2. 26 elementary schools in the Poudre School District R-1 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Zach Elementary School employs 28.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Zach Elementary School is $15,796. 16 elementary schools in the Poudre School District R-1 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Zach Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Zach Elementary School 8^th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Zach Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Poudre School District R-1:

SchoolDigger ranks Poudre School District R-1 11^th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Zach Elementary School.

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Your rating for Zach Elementary School?

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Rank History for Zach Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Zach Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2004	87.87	60^th	808	92.6%
2005	85.89	80^th	823	90.3%
2006	88.93	51^st	829	93.8%
2007	90.43	35^th	852	95.9%
2008	92.94	20^th	849	97.6%
2009	93.81	12^th	872	98.6%
2010	94.47	8^th	925	99.1%
2011	92.85	18^th	935	98.1%
2012	93.84	15^th	935	98.4%
2013	94.13	18^th	954	98.1%
2014	94.82	13^th	962	98.6%
2015	95.89	25^th	938	97.3%
2016	95.35	25^th	914	97.3%
2017	97.00	13^th	929	98.6%
2018	95.89	27^th	917	97.1%
2019	98.64	7^th	965	99.3%
2021	98.92	3^rd	710	99.6%
2022	98.42	6^th	921	99.3%
2023	99.11	3^rd	933	99.7%
2024	98.07	8^th	943	99.2%

See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Zach Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	93.59	23^rd	690	96.7%
2019	96.71	9^th	758	98.8%
2021	97.87	4^th	351	98.9%
2022	97.46	6^th	595	99.0%
2023	98.14	3^rd	642	99.5%
2024	97.33	7^th	684	99.0%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Zach Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	68.96	27^th	84	67.9%
2019	70.87	24^th	110	78.2%
2022	80.26	2^nd	22	90.9%
2023	77.40	12^th	82	85.4%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Zach Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	93.93	25^th	693	96.4%
2019	98.10	9^th	764	98.8%
2021	96.88	8^th	352	97.7%
2022	96.58	12^th	594	98.0%
2023	98.22	3^rd	649	99.5%
2024	96.38	10^th	683	98.5%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Zach Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	87.74	32^nd	337	90.5%
2019	96.83	6^th	596	99.0%
2021	96.85	5^th	288	98.3%
2022	95.20	10^th	454	97.8%
2023	97.03	6^th	525	98.9%
2024	96.28	9^th	539	98.3%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Colorado Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, May 16, 2017

We love Zach Elementary! The teachers and staff in every grade are fantastic. Love that we can ride our bikes or walk to Zach and all 3 surrounding neighborhood schools. Can't do that in a lot of places. By far a great experience and would not hesitate to send anyone I know there. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Zach Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2002	307	4	7	22	4	n/a	n/a	344
2003	307	4	7	22	4	n/a	n/a	344
2004	372	6	18	29	1	n/a	n/a	426
2005	456	8	21	26	1	n/a	n/a	512
2006	532	9	26	21	0	n/a	n/a	588
2007	519	6	29	19	0	n/a	n/a	573
2008	545	6	36	22	0	n/a	n/a	609
2009	556	7	34	24	0	n/a	n/a	621
2010	541	7	35	25	1	n/a	n/a	609
2011	545	2	29	22	0	0	9	607
2012	541	3	33	19	0	0	13	609
2013	540	1	38	22	1	0	14	616
2014	545	1	34	35	1	0	25	641
2015	559	3	33	35	2	0	34	666
2016	528	5	37	29	1	0	38	638
2017	486	5	42	31	2	0	36	602
2018	479	3	49	31	2	0	40	604
2019	438	6	44	38	1	0	43	570
2020	422	9	50	33	0	0	48	562
2021	383	9	49	33	1	0	39	514
2022	360	10	44	41	2	2	34	493
2023	333	12	40	45	2	1	42	475
2024	297	12	57	54	2	1	47	470

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Zach Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	344	20.8	16.5	0
2003	344	20.8	16.5	0
2004	426	24.4	17.5	8.9
2005	512	30.5	16.8	7.4
2006	588	34.3	17.1	7.3
2007	573	33.5	17.1	5.6
2008	609	31.7	19.2	4.3
2009	621	33.6	18.5	4
2010	609	32.6	18.6	4.3
2011	607	30.1	20.1	3.3
2012	609	33.6	18.1	3.3
2013	616	33.2	18.5	3.1
2014	641	31.7	20.2	3.4
2015	666	35.0	19.0	4.2
2016	638	36.0	17.7	4.2
2017	602	34.0	17.7	5.3
2018	604	33.6	17.9	6.1
2019	570	33.0	17.2	8.2
2020	562	32.0	17.5	7.3
2021	514	29.0	17.7	6.4
2022	493	29.4	16.7	7.7
2023	475	28.7	16.5	7.4
2024	470	28.8	16.2	13.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Zach Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	344	20.8	16.5	0
2003	344	20.8	16.5	0
2004	426	24.4	17.5	8.9
2005	512	30.5	16.8	7.4
2006	588	34.3	17.1	7.3
2007	573	33.5	17.1	5.6
2008	609	31.7	19.2	4.3
2009	621	33.6	18.5	4
2010	609	32.6	18.6	4.3
2011	607	30.1	20.1	3.3
2012	609	33.6	18.1	3.3
2013	616	33.2	18.5	3.1
2014	641	31.7	20.2	3.4
2015	666	35.0	19.0	4.2
2016	638	36.0	17.7	4.2
2017	602	34.0	17.7	5.3
2018	604	33.6	17.9	6.1
2019	570	33.0	17.2	8.2
2020	562	32.0	17.5	7.3
2021	514	29.0	17.7	6.4
2022	493	29.4	16.7	7.7
2023	475	28.7	16.5	7.4
2024	470	28.8	16.2	13.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Zach Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$11,588
2020	$11,788
2021	$12,901
2022	$14,701
2023	$15,796

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Zach Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 7^th of 965 Elementary schools	Ranks 3^rd of 933 Elementary schools	0.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Zach Elementary School)	85.7	84.3	1.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)	55.2	56	0.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	41.3	39.9	1.4%
3rd Grade Math (Zach Elementary School)	87	89	2%
3rd Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)	55.2	54.3	0.9%
3rd Grade Math (Colorado)	41	40.4	0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Zach Elementary School)	94.1	82.4	11.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)	66.6	59.1	7.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48	43.8	4.2%
4th Grade Math (Zach Elementary School)	79.8	81	1.2%
4th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)	53.7	49.4	4.3%
4th Grade Math (Colorado)	33.6	32.7	0.9%
5th Grade Science (Zach Elementary School)	73.3	89	15.7%
5th Grade Science (Poudre School District R-1)	51.7	49.5	2.2%
5th Grade Science (Colorado)	35.9	33.9	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Zach Elementary School)	87.7	95	7.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)	66.4	64.3	2.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48.4	47.8	0.6%
5th Grade Math (Zach Elementary School)	76.4	87.4	11%
5th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)	54.5	52.6	1.9%
5th Grade Math (Colorado)	35.7	36.5	0.8%
All Grades English Language Arts (Zach Elementary School)	89.7	87.7	2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)	60.6	58.7	1.9%
All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)	45.8	43.7	2.1%
All Grades Math (Zach Elementary School)	80.5	85.9	5.4%
All Grades Math (Poudre School District R-1)	52	49.5	2.5%
All Grades Math (Colorado)	34.7	32.9	1.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	570	475	16.7%
African American	6	12	100%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	44	40	9.1%
Hispanic	38	45	18.4%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	438	333	24%
Two or More Races	43	42	2.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	8.2%	7.4%	0.9%

Schools Near Zach Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CMAS English Language Arts (2024)				CMAS Math (2024)				CMAS Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CMAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	Total
Zach Elementary School	Public	K-5	3715 Kechter Road	Fort Collins	80528	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-5100	470	29	16.2	13.2%	297 (63.2%)	12 (2.6%)	54 (11.5%)	57 (12.1%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	47 (10.0%)	98.1	8^th of 943 public elementary schools	99.2%		99.1	3^rd of 933 public elementary schools	99.7%	5	78.8	89.2	81.3	83.1	87.5	84.3	85.7	85.8	78.0	$15,796
Traut Core Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2515 Timberwood Drive	Fort Collins	80528	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-7500	493	26	18.8	18.5%	314 (63.7%)	3 (0.6%)	53 (10.8%)	89 (18.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	32 (6.5%)	96.6	18^th of 943 public elementary schools	98.1%		97.8	12^th of 933 public elementary schools	98.7%	6	73.3	81.7	85.7	80.1	72.0	83.1	87.0	80.5	72.5	$14,213
Bacon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5844 South Timberline Road	Fort Collins	80528	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-5300	415	31	13.4	23.1%	311 (74.9%)	1 (0.2%)	63 (15.2%)	18 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (5.1%)	85.8	115^th of 943 public elementary schools	87.8%		81.9	147^th of 933 public elementary schools	84.2%	32	62.5	62.2	62.5	62.4	66.7	64.4	66.7	66.1	55.7	$16,763
Timnath Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3909 Main Street	Timnath	80547	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-6825	469	28	16.6	30.5%	304 (64.8%)	7 (1.5%)	121 (25.8%)	9 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.0%)	68.1	285^th of 943 public elementary schools	69.8%		62.2	325^th of 933 public elementary schools	65.2%	40	38.8	63.6	57.1	53.2	44.6	48.4	55.2	49.5	48.5	$14,186
Linton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4100 Caribou Drive	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 488-5850	307	29	10.4	64.8%	133 (43.3%)	2 (0.7%)	154 (50.2%)	3 (1.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.2%)	28.2	634^th of 943 public elementary schools	32.8%		31.2	598^th of 933 public elementary schools	35.9%	36	32.6	32.7	34.0	33.1	26.7	20.0	32.0	26.2	26.0	$17,248
Kruse Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4400 McMurry Avenue	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-5625	457	30	15.4	44.9%	308 (67.4%)	6 (1.3%)	107 (23.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (7.0%)	88.2	93^rd of 943 public elementary schools	90.1%		87	99^th of 933 public elementary schools	89.4%	6	62.9	63.8	73.6	66.8	64.3	56.5	69.9	63.7	61.4	$15,095
Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	4800 Wheaton Dr	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	State Charter School Institute	Yes	No	No	Yes	(970) 226-2800	195	14	14.4	54.4%	133 (68.2%)	7 (3.6%)	28 (14.4%)	2 (1.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (12.3%)	43.1	494^th of 943 public elementary schools	47.6%		56.7	371^st of 933 public elementary schools	60.2%	123	36.6	35.0	65.0	43.2	19.0	25.0	45.0	26.8	55.0	$10,269
Bethke Elementary School	Public	K-5	5100 School House Drive	Timnath	80547	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-4300	525	34	15.3	8.2%	433 (82.5%)	2 (0.4%)	45 (8.6%)	19 (3.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.8%)	90.6	71^st of 943 public elementary schools	92.5%		89	84^th of 933 public elementary schools	91.0%	13	64.1	71.6	72.1	69.2	62.6	64.2	67.4	64.7	70.1	$14,251
Werner Elementary School	Public	K-5	5400 Mail Creek Lane	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-5550	350	24	14.7	19.1%	276 (78.9%)	2 (0.6%)	42 (12.0%)	8 (2.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	20 (5.7%)	91.3	67^th of 943 public elementary schools	92.9%		87.5	96^th of 933 public elementary schools	89.7%	29	71.1	66.7	70.6	69.3	73.3	71.4	61.8	68.2	66.2	$19,581
Shepardson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1501 Springwood Drive	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-4525	424	29	14.5	29.5%	355 (83.7%)	4 (0.9%)	38 (9.0%)	7 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.7%)	85	122^nd of 943 public elementary schools	87.1%		85.8	109^th of 933 public elementary schools	88.3%	13	57.1	72.5	64.5	64.7	58.6	68.7	55.7	61.1	60.7	$16,104

Zach Elementary School

Zach Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Poudre School District R-1:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Zach Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Zach Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at Zach Elementary School

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Zach Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Zach Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Zach Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Zach Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Zach Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Zach Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Zach Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Zach Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Zach Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about Zach Elementary School

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