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!

Juniper Ridge Community School

Q: Is Juniper Ridge Community School a good school?

Juniper Ridge Community School ranks in the bottom 14.6% of Colorado elementary schools.

Q: How many students attend Juniper Ridge Community School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 375 students attended Juniper Ridge Community School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Juniper Ridge Community School?

Students at Juniper Ridge Community School are 81% White, 15% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

Public, Charter Grades K-8

808^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 946 Colorado Elementary Schools

Better than 15% of Colorado elementary schools

Summary

Juniper Ridge Community School is a K-8 school in Grand Junction, Colorado, serving 375 students in Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. The school has struggled academically for years, ranking in the bottom 15 percent of Colorado schools with a 1-star rating for 2025-2026. Its most urgent challenge is math: only 8.4% of students are proficient, compared to 35.5% districtwide and 37.3% statewide. English language arts proficiency is also low at 24.4%, and 5th-grade science sits at 13.9%. These numbers place Juniper Ridge far below nearby elementary schools like Wingate Elementary School (72.6% ELA, 64.7% math) and Appleton Elementary School (70.4% ELA, 68.8% math), making it the lowest performer in the area.

Beyond test scores, chronic absenteeism is a serious concern. In 2024-2025, 35% of students missed enough school to be considered chronically absent, up from the state average of 28.4%, though improved from 43.4% the prior year. The school also serves a growing share of economically disadvantaged families, with free/reduced-price lunch eligibility jumping from 39.6% in 2022-2023 to 57.9% in 2024-2025. Despite these challenges, the school has a favorable student-teacher ratio of 14.7, lower than several higher-performing nearby schools, suggesting that staffing levels alone do not explain the achievement gap.

What makes the situation especially striking is that nearby schools with similar or higher poverty levels achieve much stronger results. For example, Chipeta Elementary School (76.4% free/reduced lunch) posts 32.8% math proficiency, and Orchard Avenue Elementary School (60.5% free/reduced lunch) reaches 33.3% math proficiency—both far above Juniper Ridge’s 8.4%. There are occasional bright spots, such as 7th grade ELA (40.5% proficient, above the district) and 8th grade science (40% in 2024-2025), but these gains are inconsistent. Sustained improvement will likely require targeted attention to math instruction, attendance, and school-wide consistency across grade levels.

375

Students ?

14.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,523

Per pupil spending ?

57.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

640 24 1/2 Rd
Grand Junction, CO 81502-3294

(970) 639-0884

District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.8%

Hispanic:

15.5%

Two or more races:

2.9%

See top rated Colorado elementary schools

Compare Juniper Ridge Community School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 24th percentile in 2015 → 15th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Colorado average (16% vs 40% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (15th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 9 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school16%

District avg38%

Colorado avg40%

Elementary school

808^th of 946

Colorado public elementary schools ?

Bottom 15%▼ down 6 pts since 2019

From bottom 20% (2019) to bottom 15% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Colorado Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

354^th of 476

Colorado public middle schools ?

Bottom 26%▲ up 3 pts since 2023

See the entire ranking list of Colorado Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

23^rd of 24Elementary 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	15.4	808 of 946	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	23.3	693 of 950	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	15.3	800 of 943	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	20.3	726 of 933	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	11.8	857 of 921	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	21.0	768 of 965	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	23.2	715 of 938	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2023	18.7	528 of 642	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2024	17.3	326 of 365	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2023	12.8	585 of 649	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2023	3.2	524 of 525	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	22.1	354 of 476	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	38.9	255 of 469	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	32.6	298 of 485	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	19.6	371 of 480	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	14.1	398 of 436	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Elementary school

Female (2023)18th percentile-4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)11th percentile-4 vs school

Male (2023)10th percentile-12 vs school

White (2023)<1st percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs Colorado (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts24%-20 vs state

Science14%-22 vs state

Math8%-29 vs state

1.5

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★0

4★0

3★0

2★1

1★1

Rate Juniper Ridge Community 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

What people are saying

by a parent
Sunday, January 17, 2021

A total trainwreck of a school. Be prepared for the fact that once your children hit high-school age, they are thrown to the wolves in the local public school system and will be woefully unprepared for what awaits them. There also is a strong anti-science, anti-vax sentiment at Juniper Ridge, so be cautious if your child has a compromised immune system as they will frequently be sick. Close Quote

Schools Near Juniper Ridge Community 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 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
Juniper Ridge Community School	Public, Charter	K-8	640 24 1/2 Rd	Grand Junction	81502	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	Yes	No	No	No	(970) 639-0884	375	25	14.7	57.9%	303 (80.8%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (15.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.9%)	15.4	808^th of 946 public elementary schools	14.6%		23.3	693^rd of 950 public elementary schools	27.1%	115	701.0	723.0	730.0	25.6	40.5	730.0	24.4	708.0	709.0	714.0	10.3	11.9	725.0	8.4	13.9	728.0	$11,523
Pomona Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	588 25-1/2 Road	Grand Junction	81505	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-4990	395	26	15.2	50.1%	240 (60.8%)	5 (1.3%)	123 (31.1%)	8 (2.0%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.3%)	52.4	415^th of 946 public elementary schools	56.1%		66.9	306^th of 950 public elementary schools	67.8%	109	37.0	55.2	48.4				47.5	35.2	52.2	39.7				42.9	33.3		$16,479
Appleton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2358 H Road	Grand Junction	81505	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6400	439	24	18.0	37.4%	367 (83.6%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (11.8%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.4%)	10 (2.3%)	87.8	96^th of 946 public elementary schools	89.9%		80.9	165^th of 950 public elementary schools	82.6%	69	65.6	70.2	74.7				70.4	71.9	62.8	73.0				68.8	48.0		$15,790
Wildflower Montessori Public School of Colorado Grand Valley	Public, Charter	PK, KG-4	631 26 1/2 Road	Grand Junction	81506	Mesa County	State Charter School Institute	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(970) 314-7894	40	4	10.0	37.5%	33 (82.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.5%)	1 (2.5%)								(n/a)																	$17,973
Tope Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2220 N 7th St	Grand Junction	81501	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-7070	370	19	19.0	47.3%	252 (68.1%)	2 (0.5%)	91 (24.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	21 (5.7%)	50.6	431^st of 946 public elementary schools	54.4%		59.7	362^nd of 950 public elementary schools	61.9%	69	42.2	53.8	55.2				50.7	50.0	36.8	31.0				38.6	30.5		$15,753
Dual Immersion Academy School	Public	PK, KG-5	552 A West Main Street	Grand Junction	81501	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-6070	310	15	20.8	93.5%	69 (22.3%)	2 (0.6%)	233 (75.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.6%)	32.7	592^nd of 946 public elementary schools	37.4%		42.4	512^th of 950 public elementary schools	46.1%	80	41.4	34.1	53.2				43.6	31.8	18.8	27.7				25.9	23.9		$15,264
Broadway Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2248 Broadway	Grand Junction	81503	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6430	300	17	17.4	32.0%	246 (82.0%)	3 (1.0%)	33 (11.0%)	4 (1.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.7%)	11 (3.7%)	67.9	284^th of 946 public elementary schools	70.0%		83.1	139^th of 950 public elementary schools	85.4%	145	58.5	48.9	58.2				55.6	62.3	45.5	49.1				52.6	38.6		$15,892
Chipeta Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	950 Chipeta Avenue	Grand Junction	81501	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-6825	364	25	14.6	76.4%	193 (53.0%)	4 (1.1%)	147 (40.4%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.1%)	39	524^th of 946 public elementary schools	44.6%		44.5	493^rd of 950 public elementary schools	48.1%	31	36.4	38.9	45.1				40.6	40.0	20.4	36.6				32.8	32.9		$17,452
Orchard Avenue Elementary School	Public	K-5	1800 Orchard Ave	Grand Junction	81501	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-7560	319	22	14.3	60.5%	238 (74.6%)	1 (0.3%)	65 (20.4%)	4 (1.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.1%)	40	514^th of 946 public elementary schools	45.7%		54.3	411^th of 950 public elementary schools	56.7%	103	35.8	42.9	41.8				40.3	35.7	31.6	32.8				33.3	36.8		$17,754
Wingate Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	351 South Camp Road	Grand Junction	81507	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-4960	363	24	15.2	19.8%	295 (81.3%)	2 (0.6%)	50 (13.8%)	3 (0.8%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (2.8%)	88.5	87^th of 946 public elementary schools	90.8%		93.5	39^th of 950 public elementary schools	95.9%	48	62.8	72.2	81.3				72.6	71.3	62.2	61.5				64.7	54.9		$17,548

Frequently Asked Questions about Juniper Ridge Community School

What district is Juniper Ridge Community School in?

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

Is Juniper Ridge Community School a good school?

Juniper Ridge Community School ranks in the bottom 14.6% of Colorado elementary schools.

How many students attend Juniper Ridge Community School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 375 students attended Juniper Ridge Community School.

What is the racial makeup of Juniper Ridge Community School?

Students at Juniper Ridge Community School are 81% White, 15% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

Rate Juniper Ridge Community School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

COColorado Elementary School Rankings

COColorado District Rankings

Schools in Grand Junction, CO

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Juniper Ridge Community 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.