Montbello Middle School

Montbello Middle School is a traditional public school in northeast Denver serving 315 students in grades 6–8 as part of School District No. 1. The school ranks in the bottom 1% of Colorado middle schools — 462nd of 469 — earning 0 stars, and state test scores are in single digits for every subject: 8.6% proficiency in ELA, 6.8% in math, and 4.9% in science, compared with district averages of 42.5%, 35.0%, and 30.5%, respectively.

Nearby schools tell a striking story. DSST: Green Valley Ranch Middle School, just 1.1 miles away, serves a similarly high-poverty population yet posts 39.6% ELA and 23.3% math proficiency — about four times Montbello’s ELA rate. KIPP Northeast Denver Middle School, 1.3 miles away, achieves 30.5% ELA and 23.7% math proficiency. Even Rocky Mountain Prep Noel, which shares the same building at 5290 Kittredge Street, outperforms Montbello in math (13.8% vs. 6.8%). Meanwhile, Denver Green School Northfield, just 3.7 miles away, ranks in the 97th percentile with 78.6% ELA and 73.7% math proficiency — a roughly 70-point gap.

Chronic absenteeism is a major barrier: 49.1% of students were chronically absent in 2024–25, nearly double the state rate and up from 45.4% the year before. The dropout rate of 3.6% is more than double the state average and has risen steadily over three years. About 91.8% of students qualify for free/reduced-price lunch, making Montbello one of the most economically disadvantaged schools in the area. While math and science scores have improved slightly from extremely low levels, ELA dipped modestly, and the school remains critically behind district and state averages. Families considering Montbello may want to explore nearby options that demonstrate stronger outcomes with similar student populations.