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Durango Big Picture High School

Q: Is Durango Big Picture High School a good school?

Durango Big Picture High School ranks 231 st of 328 Colorado high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

231^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 328 Colorado High Schools

Better than 30% of Colorado high schools

Summary

Durango Big Picture High School is a public high school in Durango, Colorado, serving 91 students in grades 9-12. While the Durango School District No. 9-R is ranked 34 out of 115 districts in Colorado and has a 4-star rating, Durango Big Picture High School consistently underperforms compared to the district and state averages on standardized tests, with only 31.3% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in CMAS/Science, compared to 38.3% for the district and 25% for the state. The school's four-year graduation rates have also been relatively low, ranging from 55.2% to 87.1% in recent years, compared to the district's 84.2% in 2023-2024.

Durango Big Picture High School has experienced higher dropout rates, ranging from 0.6% to 2.1% in recent years, compared to the district's 1.9% in 2023-2024. The school also has much higher rates of chronic absenteeism, with 27.6% to 43.8% of students chronically absent in the past few years, significantly higher than the district's 27.7% in 2023-2024. Additionally, the school has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 21.43% to 60.44% in recent years, compared to the district's 30.16% in 2023-2024.

When compared to other nearby high schools, such as Durango High School, Ignacio High School, Bayfield High School, and Animas High School, Durango Big Picture High School consistently underperforms on academic measures, graduation rates, and other key metrics. The school's unique "Big Picture" educational approach may be a contributing factor to its performance differences, and addressing the school's challenges, such as attendance and socioeconomic issues, could be crucial in improving student outcomes.

Students ?

8.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$28,339

Per pupil spending ?

56.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

150 Tech Center Dr
Durango, CO 81301

(970) 259-0203

District: Durango School District No. 9-R

Racial breakdown:

White:

57.6%

Hispanic:

25.3%

American Indian:

8.1%

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Compare Durango Big Picture High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 19th percentile in 2022 → 30th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 30th (2025) from a 19th-percentile low (2022)

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Colorado average (33% vs 45% meeting standards)

!Graduation rate below the Colorado average (78% vs 86%)

!High chronic absenteeism (41% vs 28% Colorado)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school33%

District avg53%

Colorado avg45%

231^st of 328

Colorado public high schools ?

Bottom 30%▼ down 5 pts since 2015

From bottom 35% (2015) to bottom 30% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Colorado High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 2High Schools in the Durango School District No. 9-R

34^th of 115Durango School District No. 9-R among Colorado districts

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	30.4	231 of 328	29.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	35.9	215 of 349	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.1	217 of 349	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	16.5	178 of 221	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.7	313 of 411	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.9	290 of 388	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	32.3	190 of 292	34.9%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Colorado (2024-2025) ?

Reading and Writing50%-14 vs state

Science31%+6 vs state

Mathematics17%-21 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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3★0

2★0

1★0

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What people are saying

by a student
Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Big Picture High School is a school that requires each student to take at least one college class to graduate. The teachers also greatly encourage students to take multiple college-level courses. Teachers will not accept failing work either, and they will work with you to make sure that all of your work is of the highest quality. Close Quote

Schools Near Durango Big Picture High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				PSAT10 Reading and Writing (2025)	PSAT10 Mathematics (2025)	PSAT9 Reading and Writing (2025)	PSAT9 Mathematics (2025)	SAT Reading and Writing (2025)	SAT Mathematics (2025)	CMAS Science (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT10 Reading and Writing 10th Grade	PSAT10 Mathematics 10th Grade	PSAT9 Reading and Writing 9th Grade	PSAT9 Mathematics 9th Grade	SAT Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	CMAS Science 11th Grade	Total
Durango Big Picture High School	Public	9-12	150 Tech Center Dr	Durango	81301	La Plata County	Durango School District No. 9-R	No	No	No	No	(970) 259-0203	99	11	8.9	56.6%	57 (57.6%)	1 (1.0%)	25 (25.3%)	2 (2.0%)	8 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.1%)	30.4	231^st of 328 public high schools	29.6%		35.9	215^th of 349 public high schools	38.4%	16	50.0			17.0			31.3	$28,339
Southwest Colorado eSchool	Public, Virtual	6-12	701 Camino Del Rio Suite 220	Durango	81301	La Plata County	San Juan boces	No	No	Yes	No	(970) 403-0946	48	2	29.4		36 (75.0%)	2 (4.2%)	7 (14.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)								$00
Animas High School	Public, Charter	9-12	22 Osprey Way	Durango	81301	La Plata County	State Charter School Institute	Yes	No	No	No	(970) 247-2474	249	23	10.9	26.5%	200 (80.3%)	2 (0.8%)	33 (13.3%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.8%)	40.1	196^th of 328 public high schools	40.2%		67	104^th of 349 public high schools	70.2%	92	68.0	21.0	62.0	19.0	80.0	20.0	18.9	$13,644
Durango High School	Public	9-12	2390 Main Avenue	Durango	81301	La Plata County	Durango School District No. 9-R	No	No	No	No	(970) 259-1630	1,352	84	16.1	30.1%	915 (67.7%)	11 (0.8%)	304 (22.5%)	6 (0.4%)	66 (4.9%)	2 (0.1%)	48 (3.6%)	71.8	95^th of 328 public high schools	71.0%		73.4	84^th of 349 public high schools	75.9%	11			76.0	49.0			38.8	$15,718
Bayfield High School	Public	9-12	800 Co Rd 501	Bayfield	81122	La Plata County	Bayfield School District No. 10Jt-R	No	No	No	No	(970) 884-9521	404	33	12.2	34.4%	288 (71.3%)	2 (0.5%)	78 (19.3%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.2%)	35.8	214^th of 328 public high schools	34.8%		36.6	210^th of 349 public high schools	39.8%	4	54.0	28.0	68.0	28.0	53.0	26.0	17.6	$15,670
Ignacio High School	Public	9-12	315 Becker Street	Ignacio	81137	La Plata County	Ignacio School District No. 11Jt	No	No	No	No	(970) 563-0515	182	20	8.9	47.8%	59 (32.4%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (36.3%)	2 (1.1%)	45 (24.7%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (5.5%)	21.7	261^st of 328 public high schools	20.4%		22.2	269^th of 349 public high schools	22.9%	8	37.0	14.0	37.0	15.0	55.0	31.0	33.3	$23,632

Frequently Asked Questions about Durango Big Picture High School

Is Durango Big Picture High School a good school?

Durango Big Picture High School ranks 231^st of 328 Colorado high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Durango Big Picture High School?

Students at Durango Big Picture High School are 58% White, 25% Hispanic, 8% American Indian, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 1% African American, 1% Not Specified.

How many students attend Durango Big Picture High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 99 students attended Durango Big Picture High School.

What district is Durango Big Picture High School in?

Durango School District No. 9-R

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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.