The top reported proficiency rate is 35% in Science. The lowest is 27% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Naturita Elementary School
Naturita Elementary School serves students from preschool through sixth grade in the small, rural town of Naturita, Colorado, in the western part of Montrose County. The school is part of the West End School District No. Re-2, which underwent a major facilities change in early 2024 when it opened a brand-new K-12 building funded by a state grant, consolidating its elementary, middle, and high school programs under one roof. That shift followed the closure of the district’s Paradox Valley Charter School, which moved its students into the main district schools.
The town of Naturita itself has seen long-term population decline. It was historically a supply center for uranium mining and now positions itself as an outdoor recreation gateway, with amenities that include a grocery store, a gas station, a bank, a cafe, dining, lodging, and two cannabis dispensaries. The built environment is rural and highway-oriented, with modest single-family homes and mobile homes. Median household income in the area is low. There is no public transit system. The town’s nationally recognized library, built with haybale construction and honored at the White House, and the Rimrocker Museum and Visitor Center are notable civic anchors.
Naturita Elementary is a regular public school with a substantial majority of its students identifying as white. The remainder of the student body is Hispanic, with a very small share identifying as two or more races. A majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school in a context where economic need is a significant factor for families. State testing data for the most recent year shows that the school’s overall proficiency across math, English language arts, and science falls near the top of districts in Montrose County when compared with its peers. That is a strong relative position for this small, rural community. However, the raw proficiency rates themselves are moderate: roughly a quarter of students scored proficient or above in math, about a third did in English language arts, and about a third of fifth graders did in science. These are not high rates in absolute terms, and a parent should understand that while Naturita Elementary performs well compared with neighboring districts, a large share of students are still scoring below the proficient threshold on state assessments.
The school does not report data on special education identification or English learner status, so the extent of those supports is not available from the provided information. No information on discipline, chronic absenteeism, or course access is included either. Because the school serves only through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to consider. The school’s participation rate on state tests was high, which means the results reflect nearly all enrolled students in the tested grades.
For a family considering Naturita, the school offers the stability of a consolidated new facility shared with older students, which could be a positive for siblings and for exposure to a broader school community. The rural setting means limited commercial amenities and a quiet, low-density environment. Housing costs in the area are modest relative to state and national benchmarks, though the local economy offers few major employers. A family moving here should expect a small school where academic outcomes are relatively strong for the region but below state averages in absolute terms, and where economic challenges affect a meaningful share of the student population. Parents interested in the specifics of special education or English learner services would want to ask the school directly, as those figures were not reported.
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