Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 10 schools in district

Southwest Open Charter School

401 NORTH DOLORES ROAD, CORTEZ, CO 81321Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades 09–12Charter
113
Students
Total enrolled
35%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 60% vs nat'l
$12,250
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 15% vs nat'l
9.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 36% vs nat'l
50/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 113 students in grades 09–12 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

Southwest Open Charter School is a small high in CORTEZ, Colorado, serving grades 09–12 with 113 students. The district invests $12,250 per student — 15% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 9.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 73% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. The 35% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at Southwest Open Charter School

113
Total Students
9.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
73%
Free Lunch
12
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution65 male · 48 female
58%
42%
Male 58%Female 42%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility73%
National avg 52% · 82 students
Student Composition
54%
20%
22%
White54%
Hispanic / Latino20%
Black1%
Multiracial3%
Native American22%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 080309001692

Academic Outcomes at Southwest Open Charter School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
30-39
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
35%
State avg
81%
National avg
87%
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
  • 9.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Charter school — may offer specialized curriculum or alternative teaching approaches
Worth Considering
  • 35% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
  • 73% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
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
↓
Middle
Montezuma-Cortez Middle School
↓
High School
Montezuma-Cortez High School
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyMontezuma County
CharterYes
VirtualNo
DistrictMontezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 →
Phone: (970)565-1150
NCES ID: 080309001692
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in CORTEZ seeking a charter high school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. 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
Mid
Montezuma-Cortez Middle School
533 students · 06–08
● 50 opp64% 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
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
401 NORTH DOLORES ROAD, 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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.