Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado — 46 schools

20,762
Total Enrollment
46
Schools
$13,239
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 operates 46 public schools serving 20,762 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Colorado. The school portfolio breaks down into 29 other, 8 middle, 5 high, 4 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 20,884 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Mesa County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,239 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 38.9% local, 46.3% state, and 14.7% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $60,522 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 35/100, ranked #114 of 144 in Colorado against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 5 of 46 schools offering Advanced Placement (46 AP courses district-wide), a 359.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 36.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 69.6% White, 25.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian across the district's schools.

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 school enrollment varies 153× across entities

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 school enrollment ranges from 12 students (lowest) to 1,832 students (highest), a spread of 1,820 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 student-counselor ratio is 360:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 chronic absenteeism rate is 36.1% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

14.7%
Federal
46.3%
State
38.9%
Local

Funding Equity

35
Equity Score
114 / 144
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Mesa County county, where this district is located.

$881
Studio/mo
$986
1 BR/mo
$1,249
2 BR/mo
$1,737
3 BR/mo
$2,095
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$60,522
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 46 schools in Mesa County Valley School District No. 51.

White 69.6%
Hispanic or Latino 25.2%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 3.1%
Other 0.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

5 / 46
Schools with AP
46 AP courses total
359.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
36.1%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

School Enrollment
Grand Junction High School
1,832
Fruita Monument High School
1,427
Central High School
1,352
Palisade High School
1,073
Fruita 8/9 School
704
Fruita Middle School
690
Redlands Middle School
632
Mount Garfield Middle School
569
Orchard Mesa Middle School
560
Bookcliff Middle School
525
Independence Academy
Charter
491
Grand Mesa Middle School
476
West Middle School
468
Grand River Academy
461
Appleton Elementary School
439
Thunder Mountain Elementary School
432
Pear Park Elementary School
428
East Middle School
427
Pomona Elementary School
395
Rocky Mountain Elementary School
395
Mesa View Elementary School
375
Juniper Ridge Community School
Charter
375
Chatfield Elementary School
371
Shelledy Elementary School
371
Tope Elementary School
370
Chipeta Elementary School
364
Wingate Elementary School
363
Fruitvale Elementary School
358
Clifton Elementary School
346
Nisley Elementary School
346
Orchard Avenue Elementary School
319
Taylor Elementary School
310
Dual Immersion Academy School
310
Broadway Elementary School
300
Monument Ridge Elementary School
300
Dos Rios Elementary School
293
Rim Rock Elementary School
292
Lincoln Orchard Mesa Elementary School
289
Scenic Elementary School
243
Loma Elementary School
207
R-5 High School
207
Mesa Valley Community School
Charter
178
New Emerson School at Columbus
138
Career Center Preschool
53
Grand Mesa Youth Services Center
18
Gateway School
12

Nearby Districts in Colorado

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Mesa County Valley School District No. 51?

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 has 46 schools, including 5 high, 29 other, 8 middle, 4 elementary. Total enrollment is 20,762 students.

How much does Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 spend per student?

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 spends $13,239 per student. The district has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #114 in Colorado.

What is the average teacher salary in Mesa County Valley School District No. 51?

The average teacher salary in Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 is $60,522 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Mesa County Valley School District No. 51?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Mesa County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Mesa County Valley School District No. 51?

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 students are 69.6% White, 25.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian, 0.5% African American, averaged across 46 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Mesa County Valley School District No. 51?

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #114 out of 144 districts in Colorado. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.