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#1002 of 1,815 schools in CO

West Middle School

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

A Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 middle school serving grades 6th – 8th.

123 W ORCHARD AVE, Grand Junction, CO 81505

  • Math 26% vs CO 35% (2025)
  • Reading 44% vs CO 46% (2025)
  • 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.8Below Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-3.93 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.3Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency25.9% (2025 CMAS)
Reading/ELA Proficiency43.6% (2025 CMAS)
Math vs. State Avg-10.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-1.2 pts
Overall Proficiency35% (2025 CMAS, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)36% (model expectation from 2025 CMAS)
vs. Expected-1.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile47th
Resources & Environment7.6Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.4:1
District spending per student$12,834
Chronic Absenteeism12%

Students at West Middle School score 35% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 36%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 CMAS proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CO average.

Math Proficiency26%(2025 CMAS)
School
State
35%(2025 CMAS)
ELA Proficiency44%(2025 CMAS)
School
State
46%(2025 CMAS)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 56 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 35% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
94%
2010
Math
86%
ELA
93%
2011
Math
57%
ELA
76%
2012
Math
57%
ELA
73%
2013
Math
63%
ELA
70%
2014
Math
29%
ELA
33%
2015
Math
26%
ELA
27%
2016
Math
25%
ELA
29%
2017
Math
28%
ELA
29%
2018
Math
29%
ELA
31%
2019
Math
29%
ELA
31%
2020*
Math
28%
ELA
35%
2021*
Math
28%
ELA
35%
2022
Math
28%
2025
Math
26%
ELA
44%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 39% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 49% (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

51.7%

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 West Middle 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 22Minimal Transit
  • Bike 70Very 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

$87,677

Median home value

$436,800

Median rent

$1,424/mo

College educated

41.7%

Homeownership

69.6%

Poverty rate

7.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 81505; 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
Grand River AcademyEnrollment path unverified5.4K–121.5 mi516Compare →
Landmark Baptist SchoolPrivate · tuition5.9privateK–121.8 mi91Compare →
Caprock AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified6.4K–122.2 mi895Compare →
Orchard Mesa Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.46–82.7 mi581Compare →

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
#22 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

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

About West Middle School

West Middle School is a public middle school in Grand Junction, CO, part of Mesa County Valley School District No. 51, serving approximately 460 students in grades 6th-8th with a 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.0 out of 10 and ranks #1,002 of 1,815 schools in CO. State assessment records show 39% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 49% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about West Middle School

What grades does West Middle School serve?

West Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend West Middle School?

West Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 460 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at West Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at West Middle School is 16.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does West Middle School rank in CO?

West Middle School ranks #1,002 of 1,815 schools in CO.

What is West Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

West Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.0 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 West Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, West Middle School has 39% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 49% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is West Middle School a charter school?

No, West Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is West Middle School a Title I school?

No, West Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for West Middle School?

51.7% of students at West Middle 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
460
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
28
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Mesa County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
12.0%
Area population (ZIP 81505)
11,959
Area median age
41.9
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 81505; 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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