Middle Schools in Manitou Springs School District No. 14

Manitou Springs School District No. 14 serves one middle school, Manitou Springs Middle School, which educates students in grades 6–8 in the Manitou Springs area and operates within a district ranked 16th out of 115 districts in Colorado with a 4-star rating. The school itself holds a 4-star rating and has climbed from the 54th to the 71st percentile in statewide rankings over the past two years, signaling a consistently improving learning environment. With a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.7 to 1, students have access to more individualized attention, and the school serves a moderate proportion of economically disadvantaged students, with 36.73% receiving free or reduced lunch.

Academically, English Language Arts is a clear strength at Manitou Springs Middle School. All-grades ELA proficiency reached 60% in 2025–2026, well above the state average of 44.7% and above the district's 58%. Seventh-grade ELA is especially strong at 67.4% proficiency, more than 20 points above the state average. The school also outperforms the state in science, with 8th-grade proficiency at 37.0% versus 35.4% statewide, though this reflects a sharp drop from the prior year's 51.4%. Math proficiency is more moderate at 38.8%, slightly above the state average of 37.3% but below the district's 42.2%, with 6th-grade math being a particular concern at 32.4% versus the district's 42.1%.

Attendance is an area worth monitoring, as the school's chronic absenteeism rate of 21.4% is notably higher than the district's 15.6%, though still below the state average of 28.4%. The school has maintained strong ELA outcomes despite serving a meaningful share of students from low-income households, which is a positive indicator. Overall, Manitou Springs Middle School is a solid, improving school where reading and writing shine, math needs targeted support — especially in 6th grade — and attendance deserves attention. Parents can feel confident in the school's overall direction, but focused efforts on math intervention and reducing absenteeism could unlock even greater success.