Summary:
Zip code 81323 in Colorado contains just one middle school: Dolores Middle School, part of the Dolores School District No. Re-4A. The school serves grades 6 through 8 with 166 students and a student-teacher ratio of 11.3:1. With 57.23% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, the majority of the student body comes from economically disadvantaged households. Since only one middle school exists in this zip code, there are no nearby schools for direct comparison, so this summary focuses on how Dolores Middle School compares to district and state averages.
Dolores Middle School is a below-average performer in Colorado, ranking 329th out of 469 schools (30th percentile) and earning 2 stars from SchoolDigger. In 2025–2026, only 27% of students were proficient in English Language Arts versus the state average of 44.7%, and just 20% were proficient in math versus 37.3% statewide. Math is consistently weak in every grade, with proficiency ranging from 16.3% in 6th grade to 22.6% in 7th grade. The standout bright spot is 8th grade ELA, where 41% of students were proficient, nearly matching the state's 42.2%. Science proficiency also fell sharply from 35.4% to 26.3% in one year, though the small student body means a few students can dramatically swing results.
Chronic absenteeism affects 30.8% of students, above the state rate of 28.4%, and is likely a contributing factor to the school's academic struggles. The school has trended downward, falling from the 41st percentile in 2024–2025 to the 30th percentile in 2025–2026. For parents, the key takeaway is that Dolores Middle School faces real challenges in math and overall achievement, but 8th grade ELA demonstrates the school can approach state averages. With roughly 55 students per grade level, year-to-year changes should be interpreted cautiously, as small cohorts make proficiency rates volatile.
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