Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary Schools

Best Elementary Schools
in Durango School District No. 9-R

This page covers 8 elementary schools in Durango School District No. 9-R, including 1 charter school. Rankings use a composite of neighborhood opportunity, class sizes, and per-student investment — signals available consistently from federal data across all US public schools. Schools in this district score near the national median on neighborhood opportunity. Use these rankings as a starting point; pair them with school visits and conversations with local parents before making any enrollment decision.

8
Schools Ranked
Colorado
State
1
Charter Schools
RankingsHow We RankFAQAbout Data

Elementary Schools Rankings

Showing 8 of 8
1
rank
Animas Valley Elementary School
Grades PK–05188 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (10.8:1)
63
/100
Student:Teacher
10.8:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,110
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
40%
Near nat'l 52.2%
2
rank
Park Elementary School
Grades PK–05425 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (13.3:1)
60
/100
Student:Teacher
13.3:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,110
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
35%
Low economic need
3
rank
Riverview Elementary School
Grades PK–05439 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
60
/100
Student:Teacher
14.5:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,110
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
18%
Low economic need
4
rank
The Juniper School
Grades KG–06162 studentsCharter
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
60
/100
Student:Teacher
13.9:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,110
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
26%
Low economic need
5
rank
Sunnyside Elementary School
Grades PK–05106 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (10.5:1)
59
/100
Student:Teacher
10.5:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
52/100
Near nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,110
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
38%
Near nat'l 52.2%
6
rank
Needham Elementary School
Grades PK–05388 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
59
/100
Student:Teacher
13.5:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,110
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
37%
Low economic need
7
rank
Florida Mesa Elementary School
Grades PK–05278 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (11.4:1)
58
/100
Student:Teacher
11.4:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
52/100
Near nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,110
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
42%
Near nat'l 52.2%
8
rank
Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School
Grades PK–0598 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (8.4:1)
58
/100
Student:Teacher
8.4:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
52/100
Near nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,110
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
70%
High economic need
How We Rank Elementary Schools

Each school receives a composite score (0–100) built from 4 federal data signals, weighted to reflect what matters most at the elementary school level. All signals are normalised against national benchmarks so a school's score reflects its standing across the entire US, not just within this district.

Neighborhood Opportunity
40%
Harvard Opportunity Atlas score for the school's neighbourhood. Higher means children from this area historically achieve stronger economic outcomes.
Student-Teacher Ratio
30%
Lower ratio = smaller classes = more individual attention per child. Normalised against national range.
Per-Pupil Expenditure
20%
Annual district spending per enrolled student from the NCES F-33 Finance Survey. Compared against national average.
Free Lunch Rate
10%
Percentage of students qualifying for free/reduced-price lunch. Used as a neighbourhood economic-context signal.
Test scores are excluded: they are not published as consistent open federal data across all states, making reliable cross-district comparison impossible with this signal alone.
District at a Glance
8
Elementary Schools
13
Total Schools
63
#1 Score
60
Avg Score
Top Ranked Elementary School
Compare Durango School District No. 9-R with neighbouring districts
⇄ Compare districts
Frequently Asked Questions
About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets: NCES Common Core of Data (enrollment, school characteristics, student-teacher ratios), NCES F-33 Finance Survey (per-pupil expenditure), Harvard Opportunity Atlas (neighbourhood opportunity scores). Federal data is published on an annual cycle and may not reflect the very latest school-year changes. Rankings reflect available data and should be used as a starting point — not a substitute for visiting schools or consulting district resources directly. What this ranking does not measure: teacher quality, classroom culture, extracurricular programmes, school safety, or parent and student satisfaction.