Gypsum Creek Middle School

Gypsum Creek Middle School is a mid-sized public school in Gypsum, Colorado, serving 317 students in grades 6–8 as part of the Eagle County School District No. Re 50. The school serves a predominantly economically disadvantaged population, with 57.4% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, and maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.1. However, the school currently ranks 394th out of 469 Colorado middle schools, placing it in the 16th percentile with a 1-star rating — a significant decline from its 3-star rating a decade ago.

Academic proficiency at Gypsum Creek Middle School is well below district and state averages. On the 2025–26 CMAS assessments, only 24.1% of students were proficient in ELA and just 13.5% in math, compared with state averages of 44.7% and 37.3%. The contrast with Eagle Valley Middle School, the closest same-district comparison just 7.5 miles away, is stark: Eagle Valley posted 50.3% ELA and 38.4% math proficiency. Even Basalt Middle School in the neighboring Roaring Fork School District No. Re-1, which serves a nearly identical share of economically disadvantaged students (55.6% FRL), outperforms Gypsum Creek by 13 points in ELA and 15 points in math. This suggests demographics alone do not explain the outcomes.

Chronic absenteeism is a major concern: 49.4% of Gypsum Creek students were chronically absent in 2024–25, far above the state rate of 28.4% and Eagle Valley's 36.5%. Math proficiency has remained persistently low, hovering between 13% and 16% over the past several years. The school's effectiveness for low-socioeconomic-status students ranks in the bottom 4% of the state, pointing to significant equity challenges. However, there are some positive signs: the dropout rate is low at 0.8%, and the favorable student-teacher ratio provides an opportunity for targeted intervention. With nearby schools achieving better outcomes despite similar demographics, there is meaningful room for improvement through focused work on attendance and math instruction.