Middle Schools in Bennett School District No. 29J

Bennett School District No. 29J has just one middle school, Bennett Middle School, which serves grades 6–8 with 281 students in the Bennett, Colorado area. Because it is the district's only middle school, the most useful comparisons are against the district average and the Colorado state average. Bennett Middle School is currently ranked 428th out of 469 Colorado middle schools, placing it in the 9th percentile with a 0-star rating. This puts the school among the lowest-performing middle schools in the state, trailing both the district and state in every tested subject.

Academically, the school is well below state averages in all subjects. In 2025–26, only 19.5% of students were proficient in ELA, compared to 32.0% for the district and 44.7% statewide. Math proficiency was 13.2%, versus 23.6% for the district and 37.3% for the state. The most striking weakness is 8th-grade science, where just 9.0% of students met proficiency—a 26.4-point gap behind the state and a dramatic drop from 24% the prior year. Grade-level data shows 8th grade is a particular trouble spot, with ELA proficiency at 11.2% (less than half the 7th-grade rate) and math at 10.1%, the lowest of any grade. The school's ranking has also worsened, falling from the 17th percentile in 2024–25 to the 9th percentile in 2025–26.

Chronic absenteeism is a major concern: 30.8% of students are chronically absent, well above the district rate of 23.4% and the state rate of 28.4%. About 42.7% of students qualify for free/reduced-price lunch, providing important context for the school's challenges. While Bennett School District No. 29J itself trails the state (ranking 88th out of 115 districts), Bennett Middle School performs even below that lower district baseline. For parents, the picture is clear: the school needs urgent attention to academic and attendance challenges. The most pressing priorities include improving math and science instruction, providing stronger support for 8th-grade students, and addressing the high chronic absenteeism rate.