Summary:
There is one public middle school in zip code 80751—Sterling Middle School, serving grades 6–8 in Sterling, Colorado, within School District No. Re-1 Valley.
Sterling Middle School enrolls 397 students and serves a largely low-income population, with about 58% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Academically, the school is significantly below state averages: only 23.3% of students are proficient in ELA and 18.9% in math, compared to state averages of 44.7% and 37.3%. It also trails its own district, though by much smaller margins—5.9 points in ELA and 2.4 points in math. The school’s state ranking has slipped over time, from the 57th percentile in 2018–2019 to the 31st percentile in 2023–2024, and it currently holds a 2-star rating. However, there are a few bright spots: 7th-grade ELA (29.1%) and 6th-grade math (21.0%) both edge out district averages, and math proficiency improved slightly year-over-year.
Attendance is a relative strength for Sterling Middle School. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 21.9% is better than both the district (22.9%) and the state (28.4%). The school also reports a very low dropout rate of 0.7%, matching the district and below the state’s 1.6%. Given the high level of economic need among students, these attendance and retention numbers indicate a stable environment, even as test scores lag. Overall, this is a school where students show up, but academic proficiency remains well behind Colorado averages, particularly in math and ELA. Families considering this area should weigh the school’s supportive attendance culture and district alignment against its declining rankings and substantial achievement gaps.
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