The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in Science. The lowest is 25% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Craver Middle School
Craver Middle School serves sixth through eighth grade in Colorado City, an unincorporated community in Pueblo County’s Greenhorn Valley. The school is part of Pueblo County School District 70, a system that operates on a four-day school week, a structural change that shapes family schedules and daily routines for every student in the district. Craver is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, with a small enrollment that is fairly evenly distributed across its three grade levels. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share identifying as Hispanic, and a very small number of students from other racial backgrounds. Nearly half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a middle ground on the economic spectrum within its community.
Academically, Craver Middle School’s state assessment results present a mixed picture. In English language arts, half of the tested students scored at the proficient level or above, a rate that is solid but leaves room for improvement. In math, the proficiency rate was lower, with a quarter of students meeting the bar. The science assessment, which is taken only by eighth graders, produced the strongest result, with the majority of students scoring proficient or above. When compared to other districts in Pueblo County that have middle school data reported, Craver’s overall proficiency across subjects and grades lands in the top quartile. This is a notable strength, especially in a county where the middle-school-level results from other districts cluster at lower proficiency levels. A parent might want to look more closely at the math performance, which is below the ELA and science results, and ask the school about the specific supports available for students who are not yet meeting the benchmark in that subject.
The school’s setting is low-density and car-dependent. Colorado City has no traditional downtown, and its civic and recreational life centers on Lake Beckwith, a public golf course, and the metropolitan district that provides local services. The community itself is primarily residential, with a significant retiree population, and growth has slowed considerably since a boom in the 1990s. There is no major employer within the CDP; most working residents commute to Pueblo, the nearest urban center. Housing is moderately priced relative to the state, and while the area is not facing rapid development pressure, the market is stable and accessible compared to many Front Range communities. The school sits on a rural road outside of town, and students who attend Craver live in a spread-out area where driving is the norm for most errands.
Student support data, including chronic absenteeism, special education counts, and English learner counts, was not available in the records reviewed. Similarly, discipline data, course access, and staffing information were absent. These are gaps that a family may want to follow up on directly with the school. Craver is a Title I school, which means it receives federal funding to support students from low-income households, but no further details about how those funds are used were provided.
For a family considering this school, the takeaway is that Craver offers a small, rural middle school experience in a quiet community, with academic results that are stronger than many of its county peers, particularly in science and ELA. The math scores are a weaker point, and the four-day week is a structural reality that will shape daily life. The school’s small size means that students likely receive more individual attention than they would in a larger middle school, and the surrounding area offers outdoor recreation and a slower pace of life. Missing data on discipline, staffing, and student support programs means that some important questions about the school’s environment cannot be answered from this profile alone.
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