Enrollment
476
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Grand Junction, CO
Grand Mesa Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Grand Mesa Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080435001656
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Grand Mesa Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Colorado schools.
- #1 of 6
- middle schools in Grand Junction · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.9:1
- small classes for Colorado
- 43.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Grand Mesa Middle School has class sizes smaller than 77% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Grand Mesa Middle School ranks #1 of 6 middle schools in Grand Junction, CO.
School address
District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 · Colorado
NCES ID 080435001656 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.1%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Grand Mesa Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Grand Mesa Middle School
Grand Mesa Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Grand Junction, Colorado, enrolling 476 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 43.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 476 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 283 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #110.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 239 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 72.3% 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: 256 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 476 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 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 Grand Mesa 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 Grand Mesa Middle School compares
Grand Mesa 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 22% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.1% | ▲ 12% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 476 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
476
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 23% in Colorado - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
72.3%
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 239 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
103
in-school suspensions + 153 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 21.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 53.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 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
White 57.1%
Hispanic or Latino 36.3%
Two or More 3.4%
Asian 1.9%
African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 57.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.1, Grand Mesa 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 Grand Mesa 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 Grand Mesa 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palisade High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita 8/9 School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Grand Mesa 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 (~476 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Grand Mesa Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Grand Mesa 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 Grand Mesa Middle School
How many students attend Grand Mesa Middle School?
Grand Mesa Middle School has 476 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Grand Junction, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Grand Mesa Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Grand Mesa Middle School is 12.9:1, which is 22% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 18% lower 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 Grand Mesa Middle School?
43.1% of students at Grand Mesa Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Grand Mesa Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Grand Mesa Middle School is White at 57.1% of enrollment, in Grand Junction, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Grand Mesa Middle School?
Grand Mesa Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Grand Mesa Middle School rank among middle schools in Grand Junction?
By Resource Investment Index, Grand Mesa Middle School ranks #1 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 Grand Mesa Middle School a good school?
Grand Mesa Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Colorado schools. 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 Grand Mesa 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.