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B+

Durango School District 9-R

Public school districtGrades PK–12

Serves Durango.

Durango’s School Grade B+ better than 74% of Colorado school districts

Students
4,337
Schools
12
Spent per student
$17,301
CO $15,889
Students per teacher
13:1
Free or reduced lunch
38%
Debt
$93.5M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Durango School District 9-R

  • Its letter, B+: results better than 74% of Colorado districts
  • Reading proficiency 5 pts above the state
  • Spends 9% more per student than the CO average
  • 13 students per teacher
  • Debt of $93.5M, about $21,567 per student
  • Only 78% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B+: better than 74% of the 169 Colorado school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math above the state, 2021–22
A−
GraduationFour-year graduation close to the state, class of 2023
C+
The town it serves, and its School Grade
B+Durango 19,733

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Durango. Grade by grade →

PK–53 elementary schoolsThis district
6–8Miller Middle SchoolThis district
9–12Durango High SchoolThis district

Test scores vs. CO

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency31%
State average 31.8% · 2,171 students tested
Reading / language arts50%
State average 44.9% · 2,184 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)84%
State average 82.7% · 444 in the class

78% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$17,301 per student · 9% above CO
Spending
Classroom instruction 48%Support & administration 49%Other 3%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 51%State 43%Federal 7%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
4,448’20
4,481’21
4,488’22
4,394’23
4,337’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
White 66%Hispanic 22%American Indian/Alaska Native 6%Two or more races 5%Black <1%Asian <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

12 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Colorado’s other public schools.

Park Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Durango
B+
452 students13:1
Riverview Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Durango
B
374 students12:1
Needham Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Durango
B−
367 students12:1
Florida Mesa Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Durango
C+
293 students10:1
Animas Valley Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Durango
B
185 students10:1
Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Hesperus
C−
116 students10:1
Sunnyside Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Durango
C+
107 students10:1
The Juniper School
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Durango
C+
171 students14:1
Escalante Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Durango
C+
461 students13:1
Miller Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Durango
C+
360 students12:1
Durango High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Durango
A
1,352 students16:1
Durango Big Picture High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Durango
A−
99 students9:1

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Colorado.