Enrollment
560
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Grand Junction, CO
Orchard Mesa Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Orchard Mesa Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080435000619
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Orchard Mesa Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Colorado schools.
- #6 of 6
- middle schools in Grand Junction · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 42.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Orchard Mesa Middle School has class sizes larger than 85% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Orchard Mesa Middle School ranks #6 of 6 middle schools in Grand Junction, CO.
School address
District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 · Colorado
NCES ID 080435000619 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.6%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Orchard Mesa Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Orchard Mesa Middle School
Orchard Mesa Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Grand Junction, Colorado, enrolling 560 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 42.6% lands close to the Colorado typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 560 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.
Among 238 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #177, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 45/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 281 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.8% 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: 189 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 560 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion 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 Orchard 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 Orchard Mesa Middle School compares
Orchard 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 | 20:1 | ▲ 20% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.6% | ▲ 11% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 560 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
560
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
20:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 85% in Colorado - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
41.8%
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 281 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
97
in-school suspensions + 92 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 33.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 69.5%
Hispanic or Latino 24.8%
Two or More 5.0%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 69.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.3, Orchard Mesa Middle School is about as mixed as 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 Orchard 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 Orchard 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palisade High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fruita 8/9 School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Orchard 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 (~560 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Orchard Mesa Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Orchard 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 Orchard Mesa Middle School
How many students attend Orchard Mesa Middle School?
Orchard Mesa Middle School has 560 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Grand Junction, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Orchard Mesa Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Orchard Mesa Middle School is 20:1, which is 20% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Orchard Mesa Middle School?
42.6% of students at Orchard Mesa Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Orchard Mesa Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Orchard Mesa Middle School is White at 69.5% of enrollment, in Grand Junction, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Orchard Mesa Middle School?
Orchard Mesa Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Orchard Mesa Middle School rank among middle schools in Grand Junction?
By Resource Investment Index, Orchard Mesa Middle School ranks #6 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 Orchard Mesa Middle School a good school?
Orchard Mesa Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% 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 Orchard 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.