Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 81122

Zip code 81122 is home to a single middle school, Bayfield Middle School, which serves 283 students in grades 6–8 within the Bayfield School District No. 10Jt-R. As the only middle school in the area, Bayfield Middle School’s performance is the sole focus for parents, and it reflects both notable strengths and significant challenges. The school operates with a favorable student-to-teacher ratio of 12.4, which can allow for more individualized attention, and it reports a zero dropout rate at the middle school level. However, academic proficiency lags the state across all subjects, with the largest gap in English Language Arts (30.5% proficient versus 44.7% statewide), followed by Math (24.1% versus 37.3%) and Science (26.5% versus 35.4%).

Despite these below-average scores, Bayfield Middle School has shown a gradual improvement in its state ranking, moving from the 32nd percentile in 2023–2024 to the 34th percentile in 2025–2026. Year-over-year results are mixed: math proficiency improved by 4.6 points, while English Language Arts dropped by 4.5 points and science fell by 6.4 points. Grade-level data reveals that 8th grade math is a relative strength at 31% proficiency—well above the school’s 6th and 7th grade math scores—while 7th grade math is the weakest area at just 19.7%. Chronic absenteeism is a serious red flag, with 39.8% of students chronically absent, which is 11.4 points above the state average and likely a key factor in lower academic performance.

The student population faces notable economic disadvantage, with just over 40% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. This economic need, combined with high absenteeism, helps explain many of the academic struggles. On a positive note, the school’s low student-to-teacher ratio, improving state rank, and recent gains in math provide a foundation to build on. For parents, the clearest takeaway is that Bayfield Middle School offers a supportive structural environment but urgently needs to address chronic absenteeism and boost English Language Arts proficiency, where the gap to the state is most pronounced. While the school remains below average, its upward ranking trend and 8th grade math performance show that progress is possible.