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#1129 of 1,815 schools in CO

Orchard Avenue Elementary School

Elementary School · Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 · Grand Junction, CO

A Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 elementary school where students score 12 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1800 ORCHARD AVE, Grand Junction, CO 81501

  • Math 39% vs CO 40% (2025)
  • Reading 46% vs CO 45% (2025)
  • 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.2Below Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-4.16 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics8.0Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency38.7% (2025 CMAS)
Reading/ELA Proficiency46.3% (2025 CMAS)
Math vs. State Avg+2.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+1.4 pts
Overall Proficiency43% (2025 CMAS, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)30% (model expectation from 2025 CMAS)
vs. Expected+12.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile70th
Resources & Environment5.4Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.6:1
District spending per student$12,834
Chronic Absenteeism41.5%

Students at Orchard Avenue Elementary School score 43% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 30%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 CMAS proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CO average.

Math Proficiency39%(2025 CMAS)
School
State
40%(2025 CMAS)
ELA Proficiency46%(2025 CMAS)
School
State
45%(2025 CMAS)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 9 points since 2020, reaching 43% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
97%
ELA
96%
2010
Math
95%
ELA
94%
2011
Math
72%
ELA
73%
2012
Math
79%
ELA
77%
2013
Math
72%
ELA
77%
2014
Math
32%
ELA
47%
2015
Math
37%
ELA
52%
2016
Math
32%
ELA
47%
2017
Math
27%
ELA
47%
2018
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2019
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2020*
Math
15%
ELA
52%
2021*
Math
15%
ELA
52%
2022
Math
27%
2025
Math
39%
ELA
46%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 57% (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 score

Free/reduced lunch

64.1%

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 rate

The neighborhood

Where Orchard Avenue 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 51Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 22Minimal Transit
  • Bike 72Very Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,773/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Bookcliff Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition5.8privatePK–50.6 mi106Compare →
Lutheran Church & School of MessiahPrivate · tuition6.3privatePK–80.8 mi55Compare →
Grand River AcademyEnrollment path unverified5.4K–120.9 mi516Compare →
Tope Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.2PK–50.9 mi361Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

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
#25 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

Orchard Avenue Elementary School is listed in Mesa County Valley School District No. 51; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Orchard Avenue Elementary School

Orchard Avenue Elementary School is a public elementary school in Grand Junction, CO, part of Mesa County Valley School District No. 51, serving approximately 306 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.6 out of 10 and ranks #1,129 of 1,815 schools in CO. State assessment records show 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Orchard Avenue Elementary School

What grades does Orchard Avenue Elementary School serve?

Orchard Avenue Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Orchard Avenue Elementary School?

Orchard Avenue Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 306 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Orchard Avenue Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Orchard Avenue Elementary School is 14.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Orchard Avenue Elementary School rank in CO?

Orchard Avenue Elementary School ranks #1,129 of 1,815 schools in CO.

What is Orchard Avenue Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Orchard Avenue Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.6 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 Orchard Avenue Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Orchard Avenue Elementary School has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Orchard Avenue Elementary School a charter school?

No, Orchard Avenue Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Orchard Avenue Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Orchard Avenue Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Orchard Avenue Elementary School?

64.1% of students at Orchard Avenue 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
306
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
21
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Mesa County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
41.5%
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.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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