Enrollment
525
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Grand Junction, CO
Bookcliff Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Bookcliff Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080435000598
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bookcliff Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #5 of 6
- middle schools in Grand Junction · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.9:1
- students per teacher
- 48.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Bookcliff Middle School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bookcliff Middle School ranks #5 of 6 middle schools in Grand Junction, CO.
School address
District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 · Colorado
NCES ID 080435000598 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.1%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bookcliff Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bookcliff Middle School
Bookcliff Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Grand Junction, Colorado, enrolling 525 students.
At 15.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Colorado median, within a few percentage points of the 16.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 48.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 525 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 265 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #157.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (49%) and White (44%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 264 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 spends $11,650 per pupil, 28% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 203 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 525 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 13 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 also operates Grand Junction High School (1,832 students) and Fruita Monument High School (1,427 students) alongside Bookcliff Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Bookcliff Middle School compares
Bookcliff Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.9:1 | ▼ 4% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.1% | ▲ 25% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 525 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
525
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% above the Colorado average of 38.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 52% in Colorado - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
51.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,650
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 264 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
75
in-school suspensions + 128 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 38.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 13 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 49.0%
White 44.4%
Two or More 4.0%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Asian 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 49.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.1, Bookcliff Middle School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mesa County Valley School District No. 51, which includes Bookcliff Middle School.
$11,650
Per student
-28%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.9%
State 46.3%
Federal 14.7%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Bookcliff Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita Monument High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palisade High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita 8/9 School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bookcliff Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,832
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,427
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,352
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,073
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 704
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Colorado, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~525 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bookcliff Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Bookcliff Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Mesa County Valley School District No. 51's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Bookcliff Middle School
How many students attend Bookcliff Middle School?
Bookcliff Middle School has 525 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Grand Junction, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bookcliff Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bookcliff Middle School is 15.9:1, which is 4% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bookcliff Middle School?
48.1% of students at Bookcliff Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bookcliff Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Bookcliff Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 49.0% of enrollment, in Grand Junction, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bookcliff Middle School?
Bookcliff Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bookcliff Middle School rank among middle schools in Grand Junction?
By Resource Investment Index, Bookcliff Middle School ranks #5 of 6 middle schools in Grand Junction, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Grand Junction on the city page.
Is Bookcliff Middle School a good school?
Bookcliff Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Mesa County Valley School District No. 51?
Besides Bookcliff Middle School, Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 also operates Grand Junction High School (1,832 students), Fruita Monument High School (1,427 students), and Central High School (1,352 students). See the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 district page for the complete list.
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Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.