The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Otho E Stuart Middle School
Otho E Stuart Middle School serves grades six through eight in Commerce City, a rapidly growing community in Adams County. The school is part of School District 27J, a district that voters backed with a major bond in 2021 funding new construction and improvements, including career and technical education centers at three high schools and planned new schools through 2027. The district also opened its first magnet K-8 school in 2023, giving families a project-based learning option within the public system. For families considering Stuart, the context is a district in active expansion, investing in facilities and program variety.
Commerce City itself is a mix of residential neighborhoods, heavy industry, and commercial development, and has been one of Colorado’s fastest-growing communities. The city houses a major oil refinery and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, a large soccer venue. Its built environment is largely suburban and auto-oriented, spread over a large geographic footprint. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, the largest land-based urban wildlife refuge in the country, has its only entrance in the city. Population growth has been driven by build-out in the northern areas and is expected to continue, meaning school enrollment patterns may shift as new neighborhoods and schools come online.
Stuart Middle School has an enrollment of several hundred students, common for a middle school in this grade band. The student body is diverse. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The largest racial or ethnic group is Hispanic, followed by a significant White population, and smaller shares of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. Data on students with disabilities or English learners was not available, a gap that may reflect state reporting categories; a parent may want to ask the school directly about special education and English language support services.
State testing results for the most recent year show that the school’s overall proficiency across math, English language arts, and science, when averaged together, places below the midpoint when compared with other middle schools across Adams County’s school districts. In math, roughly one in ten students met or exceeded the state’s proficiency bar. In English language arts, just over a quarter of students did. In eighth-grade science, about one in six students reached proficiency. Participation rates on all three tests were high. These figures suggest that for a family focused on academic attainment as measured by state assessments, Stuart’s results are lower than many peers in the county. A family considering the school may want to discuss with staff what supports are in place to raise achievement and how the school addresses gaps.
Because this is a middle school serving grades six through eight, there is no graduation rate to report. No data on chronic absenteeism or discipline was provided. Course access data and staffing information were also absent. Without those details, it is difficult to assess the breadth of elective offerings, the degree of student engagement, or teacher qualifications beyond what is generally known about middle school staffing in the district.
Housing in the area around the school shows home values and rents that are somewhat below state benchmarks, though above national ones. The local economy and housing market reflect a community in transition, with ongoing residential development and infrastructure investment.
For a parent trying to decide whether this school fits, Stuart offers a regular public middle school experience in a growing district with facility investments and new program choices elsewhere in the system. The school’s academic proficiency numbers are an area where a family may want to dig deeper, asking about intervention programs, how the school supports students who are below grade level, and what opportunities exist for students who are ready for advanced work. The absence of data on special populations and school environment leaves meaningful questions unanswered. The school serves a diverse student body in a city that is both industrial and suburban, with a young and growing population. That context matters for families weighing the peer environment and the community’s trajectory.
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