The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in Science. The lowest is 26% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Yuma Middle School
Yuma Middle School serves grades five through eight in the Yuma 1 School District, a regular public school in the small agricultural town of Yuma, Colorado. The town covers roughly a square mile in the northeast corner of the state, not far from both the Nebraska and Kansas borders. Agriculture, retail trade, and educational services are the largest local industries, and the community has a substantial Hispanic population. The town’s population has been relatively stable but has seen a modest decline in recent years, and the median property value has also decreased. Homeownership rates are below the national average.
The school itself enrolls a student body where a majority of students identify as Hispanic, and most of the remainder identify as white. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school’s size is moderate for a rural middle school, with roughly the same number of students at each grade level from fifth through eighth.
State testing results for the most recent school year show that in math, about a quarter of students scored at the proficient or advanced level on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success. In English language arts, the share was a bit higher, approaching two-fifths. Science results were similar, with just under two-fifths of fifth graders and just under two-fifths of eighth graders reaching proficiency. Taken together, overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Yuma County. The school’s participation rate on the math and ELA tests was in the high eighties, slightly above average. Science participation was higher for fifth graders and somewhat lower for eighth graders.
A parent may want to look into these proficiency rates further with the school, particularly in math, where the share of students meeting the state benchmark is lower than in reading or science. The district has established four strategic focal points that include increasing student achievement and growth, retaining quality staff, engaging the community, and providing safe facilities. In recent years the district reported a notable capital outlay, indicating a significant investment in infrastructure or construction that could affect the school environment.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism and on the share of students with individualized education plans or English learner status were not available in the data we reviewed, so we left those dimensions out rather than guess. Information on specific programs, such as elective offerings or extracurriculars at the middle school level, was also absent from the data we had.
Yuma is a compact town with a grid-based street pattern and a civic core centered on Main Street, where City Hall is located. Most residents drive alone to work, and the average commute time is moderate for a rural area. The town’s small footprint means that the middle school is likely within or near the central area, though we did not find a precise description of its location relative to downtown. The school is part of the Yuma 1 School District, whose mascot is the Outlaws. The novelist Kent Haruf taught in Yuma schools in the early 1980s and based his fictional Holt County on the town.
For a family considering this school, it represents a typical rural Colorado middle school with a modest proficiency profile and a student body that is predominantly Hispanic and low-income, in a small agricultural community that has seen some economic headwinds. The district’s investment in facilities and its stated focus on student achievement and community engagement are points of interest for a parent evaluating the direction of the school. The lack of available data on special education and English learner services, as well as on specific programs, means a parent should seek that information directly from the school to get a fuller picture of what is offered.
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