Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 10 schools in district

Montezuma-Cortez Middle School

450 WEST 2ND STREET, CORTEZ, CO 81321Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 06–08Non-Charter
533
Students
Total enrolled
$12,250
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 15% vs nat'l
16.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 6% vs nat'l
50/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 533 students in grades 06–08 in CORTEZ, Colorado.
15% below average funding
District spends $12,250 per pupil, 15% less than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 50th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Montezuma-Cortez Middle School is a large middle in CORTEZ, Colorado, serving grades 06–08 with 533 students. The district invests $12,250 per student — 15% below the national average of $14,347, with a 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 64% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Montezuma-Cortez Middle School

533
Total Students
16.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
64%
Free Lunch
33
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (06–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution289 male · 244 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility64%
National avg 52% · 341 students
Student Composition
46%
22%
24%
Asian1%
White46%
Hispanic / Latino22%
Multiracial7%
Native American24%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 080309000833

Academic Outcomes at Montezuma-Cortez Middle School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
50
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 50th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 78th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 81321

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,250Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,250
State avg
$22,657
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,390
Student Support$2,328
Administration$1,470
Operations$1,838
Other$1,225
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,250 spent per student, an estimated $5,427 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
42%
42%
State government
42.0%
Local (property tax)
42.2%
Federal programs
15.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Mesa Elementary SchoolKemper Elementary SchoolChildren's Kiva Montessori SchoolLewis-Arriola Elementary School
+2 more
↓
High School
Montezuma-Cortez High SchoolSouthwest Open Charter School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location—
CountyMontezuma County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictMontezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 →
Phone: (970)565-7824
NCES ID: 080309000833
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in CORTEZ seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1
High
Montezuma-Cortez High School
601 students · 09–12
● 50 opp50% FRL
Elem
Mesa Elementary School
400 students · KG–05
● 50 opp80% FRL
Elem
Kemper Elementary School
357 students · KG–05
● 50 opp70% FRL
Elem
Children's Kiva Montessori School
142 students · KG–08
● 50 opp61% FRL
Elem
Lewis-Arriola Elementary School
118 students · KG–05
● 50 opp46% FRL
High
Southwest Open Charter School
113 students · 09–12
● 50 opp73% FRL
Elem
Battle Rock Charter School
83 students · KG–06
● 50 opp47% FRL
Other
Beech Street Preschool
73 students · PK–PK
● 50 opp58% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
450 WEST 2ND STREET, CORTEZ, CO 81321
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.