Summary:
In zip code 81435, there is exactly one middle school: Telluride Middle School, serving grades 7 and 8 in the Telluride School District No. R-1, a highly rated Colorado mountain district. Telluride Middle School enrolls 124 students and offers a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 13.4, making it a small, supportive learning environment.
Academically, Telluride Middle School is a standout, especially in English Language Arts. In 2025-2026, 74.1% of students scored proficient or advanced on the CMAS ELA assessment, compared with 44.7% statewide. The 7th-grade ELA rate reached 78.7%, a 32-point advantage over the state. Science is also a strength: 58.9% of 8th graders were proficient, far above the state’s 35.4%. Math is the relative weak spot, with 43.6% overall proficiency versus 37.3% statewide. Notably, 8th-grade math proficiency is 51.8%, while 7th-grade math is just 36.1%, suggesting a strong cohort in 8th grade or improvement by that grade.
The school’s main concern is chronic absenteeism: 37.6% of students are chronically absent, exceeding both the district (29.1%) and state (28.4%). Despite high scores, the school’s state ranking has slipped from a 5-star, 93rd percentile rank in 2023-2024 to a 4-star, 85th percentile rank in 2025-2026. Still, it remains well above most Colorado middle schools, with minimal dropout rates and a strong district context. For parents, Telluride Middle School offers excellent ELA and science instruction, solid but improvable math performance, and a caring small-school environment, though attendance is an issue to watch.
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