The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in English language arts. The lowest is 21% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Craig Middle School
Craig Middle School serves as the single public middle school for the town of Craig and the surrounding Moffat County area, drawing students from the elementary schools into a unified sixth-through-eighth-grade program. The school is a regular public school within the Moffat County School District RE: No. 1, and it sits on Yampa Avenue, the main commercial corridor of this small, self-contained rural town. Craig's economy has long been anchored by coal mining and power generation, and the school reflects the community it serves: a predominantly white student body with a substantial Hispanic population, and a student poverty rate that qualifies a majority of students for free or reduced-price meals. For a family considering this school, understanding the academic profile is the central task.
State assessment results from the most recent testing year paint a picture of a school where the majority of students are not meeting grade-level benchmarks in core subjects. In math, roughly one in five students scored at the proficient or advanced level. In English language arts, the rate was about one in three. On the eighth-grade science assessment, just over one in four students reached proficiency. These are low proficiency rates, and a parent should have a direct conversation with the school about what academic interventions, curriculum supports, and enrichment strategies are in place. The school participates in Colorado’s statewide testing program, and participation rates were strong in math and ELA, above nine-tenths, which means the results are a reasonably complete picture of the student body's performance. The science test had a somewhat lower participation rate, which is common for that grade-level-only exam.
The school houses just over four hundred students, a size that is moderate for a middle school, with a fairly even distribution across the three grades. The student body is overwhelmingly white, with a Hispanic population that makes up roughly a quarter of enrollment. The school's website and directory data indicate it is not a charter or magnet school. Data on staffing ratios, teacher qualifications, chronic absenteeism, and discipline were not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about class sizes and school climate. The district itself has adopted a strategic plan focused on a guaranteed and viable curriculum, effective teaching practices, and a safe and supportive culture, which provides a framework for what this middle school is working toward.
Craig is a compact town where the middle school is integrated into the residential fabric, not isolated on a separate campus. The housing market is more affordable than the state average, with home values roughly in the low three hundred thousand dollar range, well below Colorado's typical levels. This makes the area accessible for families who might be priced out of the Front Range or mountain resort towns. The town's population has been modestly declining, and the long-term economic picture is clouded by the energy transition and potential closure of coal-fired power plants that have been the area's major employer. For a family that values a small-town, rural environment with an affordable cost of living and a school where the entire middle-grades peer group is together in one building, Craig Middle School offers that setting. The academic results, however, are a significant soft spot, and a parent should look into what specific supports are provided for students who are below grade level, and what pathways exist for students who are ready for advanced work.
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