As Pagosa Peak Open School (PPOS) enters its tenth year as the only K-8 charter school in the district, the school’s community celebrates a significant milestone: earning a ‘Performance Plan’ rating from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) on its official 2026 3-year framework report.
This is the highest rating assigned to schools by the CDE.
“We are so proud of the hard work and dedication of our staff and students,” PPOS School Director Emily Murphy said. “This single year of growth hitting the 75th percentile highlights the ongoing progress our students are making within a project-based learning (PBL) environment.”
As a school of choice in the district, students not only engage in hands-on learning outside of the school building to solidify their understanding of science and social studies content, but also participate in rigorous math and literacy curriculum.
Both the elementary and middle school grade levels’ academic achievement and growth increased over the past year, reflecting the school’s ongoing growth as it enters a decade of serving Archuleta County students.
PPOS is a tuition-free public school of choice, promoting a Restorative Practices culture and a project-based learning model. This year, the school’s expanding middle school population celebrated a renovated middle school space, as well as added enrichment opportunities through electives for grades 6-8 and after school clubs such as Pagosa Strings and Drama.
“We are hitting our stride and seeing the results of a decade’s worth of hard work,” Murphy said. “PPOS’s Performance Plan rating is additional evidence to the mountain of research that PBL is not only a viable, but also highly effective teaching and learning model.”
To learn more about Pagosa Peak Open School, visit pagosapeakopenschool.org.