Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its Colorado rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Fruita Middle School

Q: Is Fruita Middle School a good school?

Fruita Middle School ranks 216 th of 476 Colorado middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

216^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 476 Colorado Middle Schools

Better than 55% of Colorado middle schools

Summary

Fruita Middle School serves 690 students in grades 6–8 in Fruita, Colorado, and is part of Mesa County Valley School District No. 51, a 3-star district ranked 38th out of 115 in the state. The school currently sits at the 54th percentile statewide (214th out of 469 Colorado middle schools), a meaningful recovery from its 25th-percentile ranking in 2017–2018. With 39.1% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, Fruita serves a more advantaged population than most nearby schools, and its 17.3-to-1 student-teacher ratio is tied for the highest in the area.

Math is Fruita's clear academic bright spot. All-grades math proficiency is 35%, essentially matching the district average and far above Mount Garfield Middle School (25%), West Middle School (26%), Bookcliff Middle School (16.4%), and Grand Mesa Middle School (14.6%). Only Redlands Middle School (60.7%) posts stronger math results nearby. Fruita has gained 13.3 points in math over three years, and its 8th-grade math proficiency of 47% exceeds both district (37.6%) and state (37.8%) averages. English Language Arts remains a weaker spot at 38%, below the state's 44.7%, though it still outpaces most nearby schools except Orchard Mesa Middle School (41.5%) and Redlands (60.6%).

The biggest barrier to further improvement is chronic absenteeism. At 40.7%, Fruita's rate is well above the state average of 28.4%, though better than most nearby schools, including Mount Garfield (54.4%), Grand Mesa (48.7%), Bookcliff (48.2%), and West Middle (46.9%). Only Redlands (23.7%) has a healthier attendance record. Absenteeism has also worsened over the past year, rising from 37.1% to 40.7%. Meanwhile, subgroup outcomes for low-income students have declined sharply, dropping from the 37th to the 23rd percentile statewide. Reducing chronic absenteeism may be the key to spreading Fruita's math success across other subjects and student groups.

690

Students ?

17.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,197

Per pupil spending ?

39.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1835 J Rd
Fruita, CO 81521-2320

(970) 254-6570

District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

Students who attend Fruita Middle School usually attend:

High:

Fruita Monument High School

Feeder schools for Fruita Middle School:

Elementary:	Appleton Elementary School
	Loma Elementary School
	Rim Rock Elementary School
	Shelledy Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.3%

Hispanic:

14.3%

Two or more races:

3.6%

See top rated Colorado middle schools

Compare Fruita Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 59th percentile in 2015 → 55th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Colorado median (55th percentile)

Worth a look

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

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school36%

District avg39%

Colorado avg41%

216^th of 476

Colorado public middle schools ?

Top 45%▼ down 3 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Colorado Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 7Middle Schools in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

38^th of 114Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 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
2026	45.0	216 of 476	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	42.6	231 of 469	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	40.8	243 of 485	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	36.1	286 of 480	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.2	273 of 448	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.1	310 of 458	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	22.7	315 of 418	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	35.2	256 of 424	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2016	52.6	171 of 400	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2015	51.7	180 of 436	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2014	61.5	162 of 461	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2013	62.6	170 of 454	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2012	63.7	156 of 425	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2011	49.8	233 of 422	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2010	53.0	202 of 409	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2009	48.0	218 of 377	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	35.9	252 of 362	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2007	38.8	246 of 360	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2006	41.4	218 of 346	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2005	40.1	226 of 340	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2004	48.8	173 of 336	48.5%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	48.0	167 of 368	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	38.7	197 of 347	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.1	199 of 350	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	32.9	219 of 363	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	30.8	213 of 326	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	26.5	258 of 352	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.5	257 of 315	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	32.1	137 of 208	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	28.1	142 of 199	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	25.3	178 of 231	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	36.0	152 of 241	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	32.7	165 of 244	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.9	114 of 241	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	32.7	165 of 240	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	21.5	193 of 222	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	32.7	222 of 372	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	36.3	202 of 352	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.0	219 of 357	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.9	229 of 356	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	27.9	216 of 328	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	26.9	237 of 343	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	19.2	258 of 317	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	20.1	228 of 278	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	18.7	230 of 275	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	20.0	219 of 273	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	15.0	251 of 286	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	13.8	252 of 283	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	8.9	188 of 199	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Female (2026)55th percentile~ school

Male (2026)40th percentile-14 vs school

Hispanic (2026)34th percentile-20 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)23rd percentile-32 vs school

White (2026)18th percentile-37 vs school

By subject vs Colorado (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts38%-7 vs state

Math35%~ state avg

Science33%~ state avg

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Fruita Middle School and help other families decide.

Rate Fruita Middle School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Fruita Middle School

Load more schools when map is moved

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 6th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 6th Grade	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 8th Grade	Total
Fruita Middle School	Public	6-8	1835 J Rd	Fruita	81521	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6570	690	40	17.3	39.1%	554 (80.3%)	2 (0.3%)	99 (14.3%)	5 (0.7%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	25 (3.6%)	45	216^th of 476 public middle schools	54.6%		42.6	231^st of 469 public middle schools	50.7%	15	38.2	37.2	38.7	38.0	33.0	26.5	47.0	35.0	33.1	$15,197
Redlands Middle School	Public	6-8	2200 Broadway	Grand Junction	81507	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-7000	632	37	17.3	25.3%	532 (84.2%)	4 (0.6%)	64 (10.1%)	6 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	22 (3.5%)	86.4	51^st of 476 public middle schools	89.3%		85.9	53^rd of 469 public middle schools	88.7%	2	57.9	59.8	64.2	60.6	61.0	48.5	71.8	60.7	70.3	$15,052
West Middle School	Public	6-8	123 W Orchard Ave	Grand Junction	81505	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-5090	468	29	16.4	52.1%	313 (66.9%)	6 (1.3%)	112 (23.9%)	7 (1.5%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.1%)	32.7	292^nd of 476 public middle schools	38.7%		42.3	232^nd of 469 public middle schools	50.5%	60	36.6	30.3	32.9	33.3	27.6	22.9	27.0	26.0	27.5	$15,455
Orchard Mesa Middle School	Public	6-8	2736 Unaweep Ave #a	Grand Junction	81503	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6320	560	35	15.9	58.9%	389 (69.5%)	0 (0.0%)	139 (24.8%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.0%)	47.4	205^th of 476 public middle schools	56.9%		50.8	196^th of 469 public middle schools	58.2%	9	45.5	41.6	36.9	41.5	29.6	32.3	38.3	33.2	35.6	$16,017
Bookcliff Middle School	Public	6-8	2935 Orchard Ave	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6220	525	38	13.7	72.6%	233 (44.4%)	5 (1.0%)	257 (49.0%)	4 (0.8%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.0%)	22.9	347^th of 476 public middle schools	27.1%		14.7	411^th of 469 public middle schools	12.4%	64	34.5	32.7	28.2	32.0	12.9	17.3	19.5	16.4	16.3	$17,300
Grand Mesa Middle School	Public	6-8	585 31-1/2 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6270	476	32	14.9	64.5%	272 (57.1%)	3 (0.6%)	173 (36.3%)	9 (1.9%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.4%)	16.2	408^th of 476 public middle schools	14.3%		16.9	393^rd of 469 public middle schools	16.2%	15	22.7	15.8	22.8	20.8	14.9	10.0	17.7	14.6	20.9	$16,353
Mount Garfield Middle School	Public	6-8	3475 Front Street	Clifton	81520	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-4720	569	34	16.7	68.7%	338 (59.4%)	5 (0.9%)	201 (35.3%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (3.2%)	33.4	288^th of 476 public middle schools	39.5%		29.8	317^th of 469 public middle schools	32.4%	29	31.4	35.9	35.2	34.1	24.3	18.6	32.1	25.0	31.1	$16,021

Frequently Asked Questions about Fruita Middle School

Is Fruita Middle School a good school?

Fruita Middle School ranks 216^th of 476 Colorado middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Fruita Middle School?

Students at Fruita Middle School are 80% White, 14% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

What district is Fruita Middle School in?

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

What high school do graduates of Fruita Middle School attend?

Students who attend Fruita Middle School usually go on to attend Fruita Monument High School

How many students attend Fruita Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 690 students attended Fruita Middle School.

Rate Fruita Middle School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

COColorado Middle School Rankings

COColorado District Rankings

Schools in Fruita, CO

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Fruita Middle School!

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.