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Lewis-Arriola Elementary School

Public Grades K-5

Summary

Lewis-Arriola Elementary School is a small elementary school in Cortez, Colorado, serving 125 students in kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1. Despite its size, it is the standout school in the area: its 2024–2025 state ranking of 68 out of 950 Colorado elementary schools places it in the 93rd percentile with a 5-star rating.

Lewis-Arriola's academic results are striking compared to its neighbors. In 2025–2026, 75.9% of students were proficient in English language arts and 68.5% in math, while the district averaged just 26.6% and 21.1% respectively — a gap of roughly 49 points in ELA and 47 points in math. Science is especially strong: 72% of 5th graders met science proficiency, nearly double the state average of 36.1%. Nearby schools trail well behind. Mesa Elementary School posts just 24.2% ELA and 18.8% math proficiency, Kemper Elementary School is 30–40 points lower across subjects, and even Dolores Elementary School — the next highest-performing nearby school — falls more than 40 points behind in ELA and 35 points in math.

Lewis-Arriola wasn't always a top performer. A decade ago it ranked in the bottom quarter of Colorado elementary schools; today it sits in the top 10%, a dramatic turnaround. The school also leads its peers in attendance, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 23.1% compared to the state average of 28.4% and rates above 30% at most nearby schools, including 68.8% at Kwiyagat Community Academy. About 41% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, and the school operates with a student-teacher ratio of 15.6:1 — slightly higher than its peers — yet it still produces the strongest outcomes in the region. While its small enrollment can create year-to-year swings, the sustained improvement across ELA, math, and science over multiple years points to genuine, lasting growth.

125

Students ?

15.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,099

Per pupil spending ?

40.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

21434 Road U
Cortez, CO 81321-8714

(970) 882-4494

District: Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1

Students who attend Lewis-Arriola Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Montezuma-Cortez Middle School
High:	Montezuma-Cortez High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

76.8%

Hispanic:

13.6%

Two or more races:

7.2%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 59th percentile in 2012 → 93rd in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Colorado average (72% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 34 percentile points since 2012

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school72%

District avg24%

Colorado avg41%

Not ranked this year

Lewis-Arriola Elementary School did not have enough recent test-score data to be ranked. Check the trend below for past years.

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2025	90.7	68 of 950	92.8%	★★★★★
2024	65.2	311 of 943	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.8	354 of 933	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	72.8	232 of 921	74.8%	★★★★☆
2021	39.9	449 of 710	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	52.4	432 of 965	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	28.3	640 of 917	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2014	21.4	779 of 962	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	38.8	626 of 954	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2012	60.3	381 of 935	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2011	59.1	418 of 935	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	50.0	515 of 925	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	41.2	572 of 872	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2008	40.0	558 of 849	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2007	24.3	678 of 852	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	31.3	609 of 829	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	40.6	541 of 823	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2004	58.3	364 of 808	55.0%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2023	20.8	455 of 525	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	10.1	573 of 596	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2023)13th percentile-49 vs school

By subject vs Colorado (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts76%+31 vs state

Science72%+36 vs state

Math68%+31 vs state

★

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Schools Near Lewis-Arriola Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CMAS English Language Arts (2026)							CMAS Math (2026)							CMAS Science (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CMAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math 6th Grade	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	CMAS Science 8th Grade	Total
Lewis-Arriola Elementary School	Public	K-5	21434 Road U	Cortez	81321	Montezuma County	Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 882-4494	125	8	15.6	40.8%	96 (76.8%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (13.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (7.2%)								(n/a)			64.0				75.9			750.0				68.5	72.0		$17,099
Dolores Elementary School	Public	K-5	12th And Hillside	Dolores	81323	Montezuma County	Dolores School District No. Re-4A	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 882-4688	245	18	13.8	53.9%	186 (75.9%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (12.7%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.5%)	32.1	596^th of 946 public elementary schools	37.0%		37.2	553^rd of 950 public elementary schools	41.8%	43	35.5	43.8	22.7				32.7	38.7	37.5	25.0				32.7	26.7		$14,053
Children's Kiva Montessori School	Public, Charter	K-8	601 North Mildred	Cortez	81312	Montezuma County	Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1	Yes	No	No	Yes	(970) 564-9377	130	9	14.0	65.4%	68 (52.3%)	1 (0.8%)	24 (18.5%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (20.8%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (7.7%)								(n/a)		42.1		737.0			734.0		710.0		706.0			713.0			$13,156
Kemper Elementary School	Public	K-5	620 East Montezuma	Cortez	81321	Montezuma County	Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 565-3737	339	24	13.9	62.5%	177 (52.2%)	0 (0.0%)	75 (22.1%)	3 (0.9%)	66 (19.5%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.3%)	27.3	654^th of 946 public elementary schools	30.9%		19.1	751^st of 950 public elementary schools	20.9%	97	711.0	37.5	742.0				29.1	19.4	31.7	27.1				27.2	22.0		$15,893
Mesa Elementary School	Public	K-5	703 West 7th Street	Cortez	81321	Montezuma County	Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 565-3858	359	27	13.4	76.6%	104 (29.0%)	1 (0.3%)	82 (22.8%)	3 (0.8%)	134 (37.3%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (9.7%)	16.1	801^st of 946 public elementary schools	15.3%		11.2	868^th of 950 public elementary schools	8.6%	67	12.2	17.8	40.0				24.2	20.4	8.9	25.5				18.8	718.0		$15,608
Pleasant View Charter School	Public, Charter	K-6	15238 County Road Cc	Pleasant View	81331	Montezuma County	Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1	Yes	No	No	Yes	(970) 562-4286	35	3	11.7	54.3%	32 (91.4%)	1 (2.9%)	1 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.9%)								(n/a)							713.0							711.0			$11,670
Battle Rock Charter School	Public, Charter	K-6	11247 County Road G	Cortez	81321	Montezuma County	State Charter School Institute	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(970) 565-3237	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)							32.6							9.1
Kwiyagat Community Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	450 Sunset Blvd	Towaoc	81334	Montezuma County	State Charter School Institute	Yes	No	No	Yes	(970) 564-5348	61	4	14.0	100.0%	1 (1.6%)	2 (3.3%)	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (93.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							691.0							687.0			$31,491

Frequently Asked Questions about Lewis-Arriola Elementary School

What district is Lewis-Arriola Elementary School in?

Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1

How many students attend Lewis-Arriola Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 125 students attended Lewis-Arriola Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Lewis-Arriola Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Lewis-Arriola Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Montezuma-Cortez Middle School
High : Montezuma-Cortez High School

What is the racial makeup of Lewis-Arriola Elementary School?

Students at Lewis-Arriola Elementary School are 77% White, 14% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 2% American Indian.

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Latest Colorado data All new data »

2025–26 CMAS, PSAT10, PSAT9 & SAT test scoresAug 19, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataAug 27, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Colorado Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.