Below Average
#1607 of 1,815 schools in CO
Nisley Elementary School
Elementary School · Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 · Grand Junction, CO
A Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 5th.
543 28-3/4 ROAD, Grand Junction, CO 81501
- Math 19% vs CO 40% (2025)
- Reading 19% vs CO 45% (2025)
- 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Academics
Full Profile · 3/3 metricsView breakdown
View breakdown
View breakdown
Students at Nisley Elementary School score 20% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 20%).
2025 CMAS proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. CO average.
Trend
→ SteadyProficiency is down 62 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 19% recently.
Show all 15 years
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 30% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 35% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)
* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.
Based on 35 test records from CO state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).
Equity & diversity
Shown separately, not included in the overall scoreFree/reduced lunch
84.6%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateThe neighborhood
Where Nisley Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.
Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.
Getting around & local context
- Walk 56Somewhat Walkable
- Transit 25Some Transit
- Bike 80Very Bikeable
- City Safety: High3,773/100K
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Grand Junction), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details
Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.
Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)
Median income
$48,500
Median home value
$283,300
Median rent
$974/mo
College educated
27.2%
Homeownership
47.1%
Poverty rate
18.9%
ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 81501; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Compare nearby
Nearby same-level schools
4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available
| School | Score | Grades | Distance | Enrollment | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career Center PreschoolEnrollment path unverified | 3.6 | PK | 0.8 mi | 31 | Compare → |
| Life AcademyPrivate · tuition | 6.6private | PK–12 | 1.0 mi | 85 | Compare → |
| Fruitvale Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified | 5.0 | PK–5 | 1.3 mi | 376 | Compare → |
| Independence AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified | 6.6 | PK–8 | 1.3 mi | 487 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.
Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.
Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.
Mesa County Valley School District No. 51
- Schools in district
- 46
- Rank in district
- #39 of 43
- District spending per student
- $12,834NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- 8.5%Census SAIPE · 2024
Nisley Elementary School is listed in Mesa County Valley School District No. 51; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Nisley Elementary School
Nisley Elementary School is a public elementary school in Grand Junction, CO, part of Mesa County Valley School District No. 51, serving approximately 350 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.0 out of 10 and ranks #1,607 of 1,815 schools in CO. State assessment records show 30% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 35% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Nisley Elementary School
What grades does Nisley Elementary School serve?
Nisley Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.
How many students attend Nisley Elementary School?
Nisley Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 350 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nisley Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Nisley Elementary School is 15.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Nisley Elementary School rank in CO?
Nisley Elementary School ranks #1,607 of 1,815 schools in CO.
What is Nisley Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?
Nisley Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.
What are the test scores at Nisley Elementary School?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Nisley Elementary School has 30% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 35% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).
Is Nisley Elementary School a charter school?
No, Nisley Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Nisley Elementary School a Title I school?
No, Nisley Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Nisley Elementary School?
84.6% of students at Nisley Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.
School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)
- Grades
- Pre-K – 5th
- Enrollment
- 350
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 15.2:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 23
- Type
- regular
- Setting
- Small City
- County
- Mesa County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 51.4%
- Phone
- (970) 254-5900
- Area population (ZIP 81501)
- 24,142
- Area average commute
- 15 min
- Area median age
- 35.6
About this school's data
Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.
- School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
- NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
- Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
- MySchoolScout rating and rank
- MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
- Math proficiency
- State department of education · 2025 CMAS · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Reading/ELA proficiency
- State department of education · 2025 CMAS · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Student progress (growth)
- NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
- Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
- U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
- Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
- Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 81501; this does not measure the attendance area.
Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24
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