Summary:
Aspen Middle School, the only middle school in zip code 81611, serves grades 5 through 8 and is part of the highly regarded Aspen School District No. 1. With 414 students and a low student-teacher ratio of 12.1, this school offers relatively small class sizes. The district itself is ranked 4th out of 115 districts in Colorado and holds a 5-star rating. Historically, Aspen Middle School has ranked in the 80th–87th percentile statewide, reflecting consistent academic strength.
Academically, Aspen Middle School consistently outperforms Colorado state averages. In the most recent testing year (2025–2026), 49.1% of students were proficient in English Language Arts and 43.9% in Math, compared to state averages of 44.7% and 37.3%. However, the school trails its own district in both subjects, with district proficiency at 52.8% for ELA and 50.1% for Math. In 2024–2025, the school actually exceeded the district in ELA (58.9% vs. 58.3%) and also topped the state in 5th grade Science (44.3% vs. 39.0%). One notable concern is a significant year-over-year drop in ELA proficiency, falling from 58.9% to 49.1%. Math remains a relative weakness, especially in 6th grade where proficiency is just 39.3%.
The most pressing issue is chronic absenteeism: 37.8% of students were chronically absent in 2024–2025, well above the state average of 28.4% and slightly above the district's 36.4%. This is surprising given the school's excellent 0.0% dropout rate. No free or reduced lunch data was reported, leaving the socioeconomic profile unclear. Overall, Aspen Middle School is a strong academic institution within a top-ranked district, but families should be aware of the attendance challenge and the recent decline in ELA scores.
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