2022 Best Schools in Larimer County

Liberty Common Charter School

• Poudre School District, CO
• K-12
• Rating 3.89 out of 5  96 reviews

Senior: Liberty is a fantastic school if you're looking for a really good education. It has an amazing faculty and course structure. It's small, so everyone knows everyone else. Everyone who goes to Liberty wants to be there, which is really nice because it creates an supportive and academic environment. The people at Liberty are really nice, and it's easy to make friends. It has a pretty good variety of classes, although most of the focus is on STEM. There isn't a big variety of art classes or languages, although there are some. The English classes at Liberty are fantastic, and possibly the best part of the whole school.
However, if you want to do a lot of extra curriculars outside of school, Liberty is probably not the school for you. Time spent doing homework can range anywhere from one hour (on a good day) to four hours. It can be really hard to balance school life with just life. Liberty is a lot of work. I would say it's worth it!
Read 96 Reviews

• grade A+

• 1,148 Students
• 20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Fossil Ridge High School

• Poudre School District, CO
• 9-12
• Rating 3.89 out of 5  408 reviews

Senior: Fossil Ridge High School has an amazing staff and administration team. It is so easy for students and teachers to get involved with clubs, sports, and organizations. There is not an enormous amount of school spirit but there are many organizations working on improving it, such as Student Council, Academic Council, Student Ambassadors, DLA, and the Culture & Climate team. The student body is extremely welcoming and the teachers do an amazing job educating and creating relationships with their students. Fossil Ridge gives to the community in many ways, having a very large and involved Key Club. Many students and teachers at Fossil are also involved with non-profit organizations such as Thirst Project and local Turkey Round-up's!
Read 408 Reviews

• grade A

• 2,118 Students
• 20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Fort Collins High School

• Poudre School District, CO
• 9-12
• Rating 4.02 out of 5  343 reviews

Sophomore: Regarding academics, it's very good. They offer a lot of AP and honors courses, as well as a Gifted and Talented and Bioscience career academy. They have excellent programs for music and the arts, as well as decent sports teams. Regarding diversity, there is a fairly significant population of minority students, just not in upper level classes. I would like to see administration do more to foster an environment where underserved students can succeed. However, I acknowledge that this is still Fort Collins, so diversity is hard to come by. Regarding school culture, I would say it's better than Fossil Ridge, with less entitlement, cliques, and possibly smaller class sizes. There are always exceptions, but Collins was the best choice for me.
Read 343 Reviews

• grade A

• 1,856 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Ridgeview Classical Charter Schools

• Poudre School District, CO
• K-12
• Rating 3.81 out of 5  74 reviews

Senior: I really enjoyed my time here. While homework can be quite a bit at times, most teachers will help and listen to issues with both homework and any problems one may have. The community here is strong, and if one is willing to be involved in the events and clubs, the experience here is one that one will cherish for years to come. Ridgeview really does want to help and shape a person, and while it might not be the right school for some, it is for many, and I am proud to be a Hoplite!
Read 74 Reviews

• grade A

• 690 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Rocky Mountain High School

• Poudre School District, CO
• 9-12
• Rating 4.27 out of 5  296 reviews

Junior: Overall, my experience at Rocky Mountain High School has been positive. But, as a junior who is beginning to start the college application process on a serious level, I feel as though the resources available to help me succeed are limited. I would like to see an improvement in resources available to upperclassmen, but would still absolutely recommend Rocky to anyone in the greater Northern Colorado area!
Read 296 Reviews

• grade A

• 2,024 Students
• 20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Traut Core Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• PK, K-5
• Rating 4.2 out of 5  5 reviews

Parent: All three of my children attended TCKS. All three of my children are ALP students. They were fortunate enough to be pulled out for advanced math in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. Because of this, all three of my children able to test into higher level math classes at the middle school and high school level (taking AP Calculus at neighborhood high school while in 8th grade). I felt like every teacher they had at Traut cared about them being academically challenged, making sure they were physical safety, and took the time to discuss the importance of good character.
Read 5 Reviews

• grade A

• 510 Students
• 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Zach Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• K-5

• grade A

• 562 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School

• Poudre School District, CO
• 6-8
• Rating 4.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Parent: Love Kinard! The teachers push their students to work hard and they help one on one if they fall behind. We heard it was a lot of homework, and at first, had a hard time adjusting from elementary expectations. I’m glad it’s not something he has to get used to once he hits High School as it just seems standard now. His grades and overall attitude towards getting his work done and understanding what he’s learning have changed. The kids are taught responsibility for their grades and behavior and the teachers are very involved with the students and make it fun for them. Before we attended, I heard mixed reviews from friends and neighbors, “it’s the snobby school” and “the harder school” were the ones I heard the most. In my opinion, this school has set a high standard for education. It’s a great fit for us and I’m happy my sons attends.
Read 4 Reviews

• grade A minus

• 840 Students
• 20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Kruse Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• PK, K-5
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: All three of my children attended Kruse Elementary school all the way through. Each child was a very different learner with different personalities. They met each one of my children where they were at and helped them to become the best students they could be. They were engaged, cared about, and felt like they belonged to a part of a community. Teachers have high expectations of their students, and help them to achieve them. My children always felt like their teachers and the staff believed in them and would support them in any way they needed.
Read 1 Review

• grade A minus

• 530 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

McGraw Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• 435 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Werner Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• K-5

• grade A minus

• 484 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Fort Collins Montessori School

• Poudre School District, CO
• PK, K-6
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: This is our first year at FCMS, I have a Kindergartener and 2nd grader. After considering & researching many other great schools in Fort Collins, we found this one to be an amazing fit for our family. Even through an atypical year with the pandemic, I'm seeing my children thrive in their love of learning. With the interactive materials, my kids are already grasping complex concepts in math & language. The Montessori method's holistic view of children makes such a positive impact on my children's emotional well-being. My children's guides/teachers really make an effort to know my kids, and they are so thoughtful and kind with communication. The school makes a point of not sending homework so children can have balanced lives/interests. They are small (which I enjoy) but growing steadily in size and the opportunities they offer. They have a beautiful new building. They've been consistent and responsible with pandemic safety. My kids are happy, healthy, and inspired at FCMS -We love it
Read 1 Review

• grade A minus

• 141 Students
• 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Campion Academy

• Private School
• LOVELAND, CO
• 9-12
• Rating 4.12 out of 5  77 reviews

Senior: Overall in the past four years I would say that attending Campion Academy has helped me grow into an adult. I have been able to meet people from other countries and make friendships with them. The academic experience has been amazing and my teachers have taken extra time to help me with my schoolwork. The school has allowed me to go as far as Austin, Texas and go on other fun trips with my friends. I wouldn't trade my experience with Campion for any other highschool. The bad part of Campion is that it seems to steadily become more strict with it's policies and is becoming less enjoyable because of this many students have left because of this. The school spirit my senior year was completely gone. Over time the extracurricular activities are getting rarer, if you don't get involved in the extracurricular things you will become to feel isolated and depressed.
Read 77 Reviews

• grade A minus

• 152 Students
• 5:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Dunn Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• K-5

• grade A minus

• 409 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Tavelli Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• PK, K-5
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: Amazing. Very professional administration and excellent teachers. My kid had such a great time and learned so much. As a parent, I really appreciated the accountability and dedication to the families at Tavelli. There was no "us vs them" mentality that some administrations seem to foster.
Read 1 Review

• grade A minus

• 608 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Preston Middle School

• Poudre School District, CO
• 6-8
• Rating 4.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Senior: The teachers were great, the community was great, the academic opportunities were amazing. I had a great time attending Preston.
Read 3 Reviews

• grade A minus

• 1,132 Students
• 20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Bennett Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• K-5
• Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Niche User: Love the teachers, one of the best schools I have been to. Pick this school. The students really learn and it's a faster then most schools, so great!
Read 1 Review

• grade A minus

• 454 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Bacon Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• 595 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Beattie Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• 363 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Poudre High School

• Poudre School District, CO
• 9-12
• Rating 3.77 out of 5  282 reviews

Alum: As far as I'm concerned, Poudre High School is one of the best schools you could go to. And I'm not even getting paid to say that! In all honesty, the teachers I have had are INCREDIBLE. I graduated last year, but I still think back to many teachers and reflect on how grateful I am to have had them. Poudre offers many AP and IB classes. I cannot talk much about the IB classes, but I took 8+ AP classes and I loved them. I felt very prepared to begin college after attending Poudre, and thus far, college has been a walk in the park. I actually kind of MISS high school. Again, I really do recommend this school. It has great academics, the BEST teachers, many opportunities (such as the opportunity to get involved in programs at Front Range Community College), clubs, sports, and cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity. It is also important to note that the students are overall very friendly, and while I can't absolutely say there is NO bullying, I never heard or saw anyone getting bullied.
Read 282 Reviews

• grade A minus

• 1,865 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Rice Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• PK, K-5
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: The staff and faculty at Rice create a fun and comfortable learning environment for the students. The teachers do well to work with the parents in finding the best plan for their child's success.
Read 1 Review

• grade A minus

• 482 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Lopez Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• PK, K-5
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: One of the most welcoming and comfortable learning environments I’ve been in. The teachers are all amazing.
Read 1 Review

• grade A minus

• 427 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Timnath Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• PK, K-5
• Rating 4.25 out of 5  4 reviews

Niche User: Would choose this school again. It's unique because its in a smaller community area. Learned a lot and was prepared for middle school as much as I needed to be. Made a lot of friends.
Read 4 Reviews

• grade A minus

• 456 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Lesher Middle School

• Poudre School District, CO
• 6-8
• Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Alum: Lesher Middle School was a great IB school to attend in order to prepare for IB/High School. The workload was not heavy, so there was plenty of opportunity to get involved in clubs, sports, etc. The only thing that was difficult is that there were not many free clubs to join - for example, if you found school to be easy and wanted a challenge, like chess club, I believe it was about $70 a semester to join when I attended. This could discourage some kids from getting involved with teams and clubs.

Lesher Middle School is probably the best middle school in the district because of the diversity, and academics, and it is a great start to a educational career in IB.
Read 2 Reviews

• grade A minus

• 792 Students
• 21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Riffenburgh Elementary School

• Poudre School District, CO
• K-5

• grade A minus

• 557 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio