Best Public Schools in Grand Junction, CO

The city of Grand Junction, Colorado is home to 34 schools, including 22 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, 5 high schools, and 2 alternative schools, all part of the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. The district is ranked 40 out of 115 school districts in Colorado and has an overall rating of 3 stars out of 5 from SchoolDigger.

Some of the standout schools in the area include Wingate Elementary School, ranked 39 out of 950 Colorado elementary schools and rated 5 out of 5 stars, with over 70% of students proficient or better in CMAS English Language Arts and Math. Broadway Elementary School and Scenic Elementary School also perform exceptionally well, with high proficiency rates and 4 or 5 out of 5 star ratings. In contrast, some schools like Nisley Elementary and Juniper Ridge Community School have much lower proficiency rates.

The data reveals significant disparities in academic performance across the schools, with graduation rates around 84.2% and dropout rates of 1.9%, both slightly better than the state average. Chronic absenteeism, however, is higher than the state average at 27.7%. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch ranges widely, from 13.57% at New Emerson School at Columbus to 84.57% at Nisley Elementary, indicating diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Additionally, the district includes several high-performing charter and magnet schools, such as Caprock Academy and Mesa Valley Community School.