Summary:
ZIP code 81144 is home to two public middle schools serving grades 6–8: Monte Vista Middle School (190 students) in the Monte Vista School District No. C-8 and Sargent Middle School (70 students) in the Sargent School District No. Re-33J. Sargent Middle School is the clear academic leader, earning a 3-star rating and ranking at the 51st percentile statewide in its most recent 2025–2026 evaluation, while Monte Vista Middle School has not had a fresh ranking since 2020–2021, when it sat at the 6th percentile.
Test scores reinforce the performance gap. Sargent Middle School posted a standout 7th-grade English Language Arts proficiency rate of 58.8% in 2025–2026, more than double Monte Vista Middle School's 25% and well above the state average of 46.6%. However, both schools struggle significantly with math: Monte Vista Middle School's 7th-grade math proficiency was just 9.4%, while Sargent Middle School's all-grades math proficiency was 14%—both far below state averages. Sargent Middle School also saw its 8th-grade science proficiency drop sharply from 54.5% to 25% in one year, a swing that is not unusual for a small school.
Monte Vista Middle School serves a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students, with a 72.63% free/reduced lunch eligibility rate compared to Sargent Middle School's 45.71%, yet it has a lower chronic absenteeism rate (17.3% vs. 20.0%)—both schools are well below the state average of 28.4%. Monte Vista Middle School also has a slightly better student–teacher ratio (10.5 vs. 12.0), indicating smaller class sizes. For parents, Sargent Middle School offers the strongest academics and positive ranking momentum, while Monte Vista Middle School offers strong attendance and small classes; both schools urgently need to improve math proficiency.
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