While the U.S. is one of the most educated countries in the world, it doesn’t provide the same quality elementary school or secondary school education to all students. In many states, more affluent school districts receive a greater amount of funding per student than poorer districts.
Discrepancies between the rich and poor have been exacerbated even more this year by the COVID-19 pandemic. Low-income students have suffered the greatest “learning loss” due to partial or total remote learning. One contributing factor is that people in low-income districts are less likely to have the technological resources they need.
States that provide equitable funding to all school districts can help prevent poor students from having lower graduation rates, lower rates of pursuing higher education and smaller future incomes than their wealthy peers. The difference is dramatic: College graduates have $524 - $1,112 higher median weekly earnings than people with a high school diploma and no college experience, depending on the degree.
Colorado has the 14th least equitable school districts in the U.S. overall, but some districts within the state are fairer than others. To find out where school funding is distributed most equitably, WalletHub scored 178 districts in Colorado based on two metrics: average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools per pupil. Read on for the district ranking and a complete description of our methodology.
Main Findings
Note: For visual purposes, we included only the top 7 school districts by enrollment from each category.
Most & Least Equitable School Districts in Colorado
| Rank | School District | Score | Expeditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools per Pupil | Income by School District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garfield School District No. Re-2 | 0.76 | $10,303 | $71,520 |
| 2 | Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-1 | 1.07 | $11,486 | $65,000 |
| 3 | Manitou Springs School District No. 14 In The County Of El Paso | 1.40 | $11,242 | $65,926 |
| 4 | Mapleton School District No. 1 In The County Of Adams | 1.41 | $11,196 | $67,799 |
| 5 | Grand Valley School District No. 16 In The County Of Garfield | 1.44 | $11,493 | $64,748 |
| 6 | Woodland Park School District No. Re-2 | 2.46 | $10,563 | $71,329 |
| 7 | Park County School District No. Re-2 | 2.86 | $11,734 | $66,186 |
| 8 | Bennett School District No. 29J | 2.97 | $8,233 | $82,337 |
| 9 | North Park School District R-1 | 3.23 | $13,755 | $53,300 |
| 10 | Poudre School District R-1 | 3.26 | $10,932 | $70,109 |
| 11 | Dolores County School District Re-2J | 3.67 | $14,870 | $47,917 |
| 12 | Weld Re-8 Schools | 4.02 | $11,134 | $69,629 |
| 13 | Salida School District No. R-32 | 4.76 | $12,701 | $57,232 |
| 14 | School District No. Re-3 Frenchman | 5.13 | $14,054 | $56,875 |
| 15 | School District No. Re-20 Weldon Valley | 5.30 | $13,526 | $53,125 |
| 16 | Otis School District No. R-3 | 5.35 | $13,674 | $58,750 |
| 17 | Arriba-Flagler Consolidated School District No. 20 | 5.56 | $14,887 | $53,300 |
| 18 | School District No. Re-11 In The County Of Weld | 5.63 | $13,030 | $61,875 |
| 19 | Weld County School District No. Re-2 | 5.99 | $8,699 | $81,984 |
| 20 | West End School District No. Re-2 | 6.46 | $16,277 | $39,800 |
| 21 | Ignacio School District No. 11Jt | 6.56 | $15,358 | $51,731 |
| 22 | Thompson School District R-2J | 7.07 | $10,253 | $75,481 |
| 23 | Calhan District No. RJ1 | 7.82 | $10,739 | $64,438 |
| 24 | Miami-Yoder Joint District No. 60 Of The Counties Of El Paso, Elbert and Lincoln | 8.05 | $12,174 | $57,708 |
| 25 | Sheridan School District No. 2 | 8.21 | $14,785 | $45,616 |
| 26 | Byers School District No. 32J | 8.35 | $7,991 | $76,745 |
| 27 | Revere School District | 8.68 | $17,081 | $34,792 |
| 28 | Walsh School District No. Re-1 | 8.69 | $15,835 | $40,511 |
| 29 | Durango School District No. 9-R | 9.18 | $11,548 | $70,782 |
| 30 | Westminster Public Schools | 9.19 | $11,544 | $59,926 |
| 31 | Manzanola Joint District No. 3J Of The Counties Of Otero and Crowley | 9.30 | $16,496 | $37,109 |
| 32 | Rangely School District Re4 | 9.32 | $10,931 | $62,667 |
| 33 | Mountain Valley School District No. Re 1 | 9.79 | $18,599 | $38,750 |
| 34 | Bayfield School District No. 10Jt-R | 9.95 | $11,185 | $72,909 |
| 35 | Englewood School District No. 1 In The County Of Arapahoe | 10.54 | $14,343 | $58,750 |
| 36 | Plateau Valley School District No. 50 In The County Of Mesa | 10.94 | $10,066 | $65,682 |
| 37 | School District No. 3 In The County Of El Paso | 11.07 | $9,330 | $68,986 |
| 38 | Strasburg School District 31J | 11.32 | $8,602 | $85,585 |
| 39 | Aurora Joint District No. 28 Of The Counties Of Adams and Arapahoe | 11.80 | $11,458 | $58,776 |
| 40 | Big Sandy School District No. 100J | 12.04 | $12,031 | $56,000 |
| 41 | De Beque Joint District No. 49 Of The Counties Of Mesa and Garfield | 12.25 | $13,375 | $64,205 |
| 42 | Weld County School District Re-3J | 12.52 | $11,817 | $71,526 |
| 43 | Estes Park School District R-3 | 12.62 | $12,416 | $68,834 |
| 44 | La Veta School District Re-2 | 12.84 | $14,623 | $43,618 |
| 45 | School District No. Re-4 Buffalo | 13.80 | $12,083 | $54,722 |
| 46 | Weld County School District No. Re-9 | 13.89 | $9,730 | $65,476 |
| 47 | Cripple Creek-Victor School District No. Re-1 | 13.94 | $15,395 | $55,926 |
| 48 | School District No. 1 In The County Of Denver | 13.95 | $12,639 | $68,592 |
| 49 | East Grand School District No. 2 | 14.30 | $11,746 | $72,902 |
| 50 | Moffat School District No. 2 In The County Of Saguache | 14.50 | $18,372 | $25,417 |
| 51 | Colorado Springs School District No. 11 In The County Of El Paso | 14.80 | $11,724 | $55,779 |
| 52 | Hayden School District No. Re 1 | 15.09 | $13,039 | $67,434 |
| 53 | Platte Canyon School District No. 1 Of The County Of Park | 15.61 | $10,088 | $81,298 |
| 54 | Ridgway School District No. R-2 Of The County Of Ouray | 15.75 | $14,044 | $63,203 |
| 55 | Buena Vista School District No. R-31 | 15.94 | $11,693 | $55,246 |
| 56 | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | 16.14 | $10,336 | $80,469 |
| 57 | South Conejos School District No. Re10 | 16.51 | $17,084 | $30,139 |
| 58 | Weld County School District No. Re-5J | 17.01 | $8,719 | $88,417 |
| 59 | Fountain School District No. 8 In The County Of El Paso | 17.57 | $10,474 | $59,880 |
| 60 | Hanover School District No. 28 In The County Of El Paso | 18.55 | $14,960 | $60,658 |
| 61 | Sangre De Cristo School District No. Re-22J | 18.80 | $12,829 | $48,333 |
| 62 | Gunnison Watershed School District Re1J | 19.45 | $10,913 | $56,753 |
| 63 | Pueblo County School District 70 | 19.58 | $8,705 | $66,816 |
| 64 | West Grand School District No. 1 | 19.71 | $15,529 | $58,728 |
| 65 | Bethune School District No. R- 5 | 19.73 | $17,867 | $48,000 |
| 66 | Deer Trail School District No. 26J | 19.80 | $11,867 | $52,159 |
| 67 | Swink School District No. 33 In The County Of Otero | 19.94 | $10,485 | $58,427 |
| 68 | Lake County School District No. R-1 | 20.06 | $12,181 | $50,565 |
| 69 | Genoa-Hugo School District No. C-113 | 20.27 | $11,150 | $55,179 |
| 70 | Upper Rio Grande School District C-7 | 20.56 | $14,097 | $41,466 |
| 71 | Cheyenne County School District No. Re-5 | 20.89 | $17,088 | $52,266 |
| 72 | Sargent School District No. Re-33J | 21.06 | $12,501 | $73,438 |
| 73 | Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 | 21.14 | $11,026 | $55,231 |
| 74 | Clear Creek School District No. Re-1 | 21.31 | $13,922 | $67,060 |
| 75 | Sierra Grande School District No. R-30 | 21.87 | $13,802 | $42,045 |
| 76 | El Paso County Colorado School District 49 | 21.98 | $8,669 | $91,590 |
| 77 | Weld County School District No. Re-7 | 22.12 | $13,098 | $71,325 |
| 78 | School District No. R-4 In The County Of Kit Carson | 22.81 | $12,313 | $48,333 |
| 79 | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 | 23.01 | $10,730 | $82,729 |
| 80 | Arickaree School District No. R-2 | 23.73 | $17,675 | $51,250 |
| 81 | Center Consolidated School District No. 26 Jt. Of The County Of Saguache | 24.12 | $13,742 | $40,987 |
| 82 | Hi-Plains R-23 | 24.77 | $13,534 | $41,563 |
| 83 | School District N. 14 In The County Of Adams | 24.81 | $11,351 | $51,563 |
| 84 | Wiley School District No. Re-13 Jt | 25.11 | $11,840 | $49,141 |
| 85 | Kiowa County School District No. Re-2 | 25.40 | $19,352 | $44,531 |
| 86 | Hoehne Reorganized School District No. 3 | 25.65 | $9,663 | $58,824 |
| 87 | Mcclave School District No. Re-2 | 25.82 | $13,092 | $42,969 |
| 88 | Karval School District No. Re 23 | 25.86 | $20,489 | $39,583 |
| 89 | Wray Rd-2 School District | 26.11 | $10,833 | $53,178 |
| 90 | Lone Star School District No. 101 | 26.13 | $14,719 | $66,250 |
| 91 | Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-4 | 26.24 | $8,822 | $93,405 |
| 92 | Pritchett School District No. Re-3 | 26.54 | $19,579 | $44,167 |
| 93 | Greeleyschool District No. 6 In The County Of Weld | 27.25 | $10,094 | $55,896 |
| 94 | Gilpin County School District No. Re-1 | 27.52 | $12,193 | $78,680 |
| 95 | St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1J | 27.96 | $10,385 | $87,244 |
| 96 | Fremont Re-2 | 28.18 | $10,558 | $53,214 |
| 97 | Custer County School District Consolidate 1 | 28.27 | $11,100 | $50,669 |
| 98 | Idalia Rj-3 School District | 28.50 | $14,480 | $68,750 |
| 99 | Aguilar Reorganized School District No. 6 | 28.52 | $20,138 | $42,770 |
| 100 | Holyoke School District No. Re-1J | 28.63 | $10,464 | $53,378 |
| 101 | School District No. Re-5 Plateau | 30.16 | $16,288 | $61,429 |
| 102 | Akron School District No. R-1 | 30.23 | $11,243 | $48,852 |
| 103 | Ellicott School District No. 22 In The County Of El Paso | 30.28 | $8,751 | $60,273 |
| 104 | Yuma 1 School District | 30.49 | $10,920 | $50,181 |
| 105 | School District No. Re-2 Brush | 30.74 | $10,551 | $51,728 |
| 106 | Fremont Re-3 | 31.18 | $13,009 | $40,175 |
| 107 | Meeker School District Re1 | 31.81 | $10,513 | $51,272 |
| 108 | Cheyenne Mountain School District No. 12 In The County Of El Paso | 31.90 | $9,480 | $93,736 |
| 109 | School District 27J | 31.96 | $8,968 | $96,124 |
| 110 | Dolores School District No. Re-4A | 32.16 | $10,419 | $51,494 |
| 111 | Roaring Fork School District No. Re-1 | 32.23 | $12,122 | $81,791 |
| 112 | Cheraw School District No. 31 In The County Of Otero | 32.33 | $11,418 | $46,806 |
| 113 | Summit School District No. Re 1 | 32.45 | $12,704 | $79,246 |
| 114 | Steamboat Springs School District No. Re 2 | 33.13 | $12,153 | $82,182 |
| 115 | School District No. Re-50 Wiggins | 33.41 | $8,679 | $58,750 |
| 116 | Limon School District No. Re 4J | 33.69 | $10,874 | $48,500 |
| 117 | School District No. Re-3 Fort Morgan | 33.73 | $9,532 | $54,641 |
| 118 | Woodlin School District No. R-104 | 33.83 | $19,602 | $48,375 |
| 119 | Mancos School District Re-6 | 34.03 | $10,020 | $52,222 |
| 120 | Campo School District No. Re-6 | 34.40 | $23,457 | $31,000 |
| 121 | Moffat County School District Re: No. 1 | 34.44 | $8,877 | $57,229 |
| 122 | Archuleta County School District No. 50 Jt | 34.83 | $9,964 | $52,006 |
| 123 | Sanford School District No. 6 In The County Of Conejos | 36.05 | $10,986 | $46,591 |
| 124 | Fremont Re-1 | 36.17 | $10,404 | $49,191 |
| 125 | Telluride School District No. R-1 | 36.43 | $15,097 | $70,613 |
| 126 | Eagle County School District No. Re 50 | 37.19 | $12,360 | $83,635 |
| 127 | Norwood School District No. R-2J | 37.28 | $17,916 | $58,162 |
| 128 | Fowler School District No. R4J | 37.35 | $11,398 | $43,924 |
| 129 | Littleton School District No. 6 In The County Of Arapahoe | 38.34 | $11,820 | $86,797 |
| 130 | Granada School District No. Re-1 | 38.44 | $13,563 | $33,333 |
| 131 | Harrison School District No. 2 In The County Of El Paso | 39.23 | $10,437 | $47,227 |
| 132 | Centennial School District No. R-1 | 40.30 | $15,138 | $25,000 |
| 133 | Kiowa County School District No. Re-1 | 40.59 | $11,841 | $39,974 |
| 134 | Montrose County School District Re-1J | 40.87 | $9,401 | $51,016 |
| 135 | South Routt School District No. Re 3 | 40.90 | $17,384 | $62,750 |
| 136 | Elizabeth School District | 40.98 | $9,396 | $99,498 |
| 137 | Holly School District No. Re-3 | 41.07 | $11,510 | $41,208 |
| 138 | Huerfano School District Re-1 | 41.39 | $12,300 | $37,388 |
| 139 | School District No. Re-1 Valley | 41.75 | $8,856 | $52,999 |
| 140 | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 In The County Of Arapahoe | 42.09 | $11,688 | $89,625 |
| 141 | Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 | 43.43 | $9,586 | $48,653 |
| 142 | Academy School District No. 20 In The County Of El Paso | 43.49 | $9,590 | $100,090 |
| 143 | Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 | 43.55 | $12,977 | $84,567 |
| 144 | Edison Joint District No. 54 Of The Counties Of El Paso | 43.81 | $9,651 | $48,125 |
| 145 | Elbert School District No. 200 | 44.28 | $12,160 | $88,750 |
| 146 | Haxtun School District No. Re-2J | 44.98 | $10,686 | $42,679 |
| 147 | Peyton School District No. 23 In The County Of El Paso | 45.35 | $11,078 | $94,358 |
| 148 | Branson Reorganized School District No. 82 | 45.65 | $8,190 | $53,750 |
| 149 | Delta County Joint District No. 50 | 47.33 | $9,763 | $45,528 |
| 150 | Primero Reorganized School District No. 2 | 49.00 | $21,075 | $50,588 |
| 151 | Burlington Public School District No. Re-6J | 51.17 | $8,407 | $49,488 |
| 152 | Crowley County School District No. Re-1-J | 52.05 | $10,222 | $40,625 |
| 153 | Pueblo School District No. 60 In The County Of Pueblo | 52.17 | $10,237 | $40,489 |
| 154 | Ouray School District No. R-1 Of The County Of Ouray | 52.31 | $19,033 | $61,927 |
| 155 | Trinidad School District 1 In The County Of Las Animas | 53.67 | $10,497 | $38,405 |
| 156 | Rocky Ford School District No. R2 | 54.39 | $11,581 | $33,000 |
| 157 | East Otero School District No. R1 | 55.37 | $10,179 | $38,858 |
| 158 | Springfield School District No. Re-4 | 56.17 | $11,279 | $33,333 |
| 159 | Julesburg School District No. Re1 | 57.19 | $7,792 | $48,750 |
| 160 | School District No. C-2 In The County Of Elbert | 60.70 | $13,541 | $92,128 |
| 161 | Monte Vista School District No. C-8 | 62.09 | $9,462 | $38,175 |
| 162 | Lamar School District No. Re-2 | 62.14 | $8,526 | $42,443 |
| 163 | School District No. Re-12 In The County Of Weld | 65.06 | $22,075 | $55,500 |
| 164 | North Conejos School District No. Re1J | 66.54 | $9,100 | $37,205 |
| 165 | Alamosa School District No. Re-11J | 66.55 | $9,133 | $37,047 |
| 166 | School District No. Re-10 In The County Of Weld | 68.97 | $17,337 | $79,583 |
| 167 | Kit Carson School District No. R-1 | 73.63 | $21,306 | $64,107 |
| 168 | Lewis-Palmer Consolidated School District No. 38 In The County Of El Paso | 77.21 | $8,910 | $123,179 |
| 169 | Silverton School District No. 1 In The County Of San Juan | 78.85 | $24,043 | $54,625 |
| 170 | Liberty J-4 School District | 79.35 | $23,754 | $56,250 |
| 171 | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | 81.25 | $10,094 | $120,130 |
| 172 | Kim Reorganized School District No. 88 | 85.13 | $25,696 | $50,750 |
| 173 | Hinsdale County School District No. Re-1 | 85.90 | $24,500 | $56,696 |
| 174 | Las Animas School District No. Re-1 | 88.29 | $8,049 | $29,153 |
| 175 | Aspen School District No. 1 In The County Of Pitkin | 89.66 | $19,901 | $80,053 |
| 176 | Vilas School District Re-5 | 94.00 | $24,227 | $62,750 |
| 177 | Creede School District | 96.69 | $24,695 | $62,188 |
| 178 | Agate School District No. 300 | 101.78 | $23,000 | $72,991 |
*1=Most Equitable
Methodology
In order to rank the states with the most and least equitable school districts, WalletHub first scored 12,927 school districts throughout the U.S. based on two metrics: average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools per pupil.
For expenditures, for each 1 percent above the state's average we removed 1 point from a base score of 50 points for each district. For household income, for each 1 percent above the state's average we added 1 point to a base score of 50 points for each district. The inverse was true for each 1 percent below the state's average.
The final score for each district was calculated by taking the absolute difference between the score for expenditures and the score for household income. We then ranked the districts based on the total score, with the lowest value, representing the most equitable, being ranked 1.
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics.