Sierra Middle School

Summary:

Sierra Middle School is a public middle school located in Parker, Colorado, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 779 students. It is part of the Douglas County School District No. Re 1, which is ranked 5 out of 116 school districts in Colorado and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sierra Middle School has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking, ranging from 112 out of 448 Colorado middle schools in 2021-2022 (rated 4 stars) to 245 out of 458 in 2018-2019 (rated 2 stars). The school's current ranking for the 2023-2024 school year is 184 out of 485 Colorado middle schools, with a 3-star rating. While the school performs better in certain student subgroups, such as Hispanic students, it struggles with its Multi-racial student subgroup. Sierra Middle School's test scores, as measured by the CMAS assessments, are generally lower than the Douglas County School District and the state of Colorado averages across various subjects and grade levels. Additionally, the school has a relatively high chronic absenteeism rate of 30.6% for the 2023-2024 school year.

When compared to nearby schools within the Douglas County School District, Sierra Middle School generally performs worse than schools like Cimarron Middle and Liberty Middle, which have higher rankings and better test scores. However, Sierra Middle School outperforms the HOPE Online Learning Academy Middle School, a public charter school within the same district, which has significantly lower test scores and a lower statewide ranking.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 6651 Pine Lane Avenue
       Parker, CO  80138-8732


(303) 387-3800

District: Douglas County School District No. Re 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
184th of 485 Colorado Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,617 Help


Students who attend Sierra Middle School usually attend:

High:    Chaparral High School

Feeder schools for Sierra Middle School:

Elementary:    Cherokee Trail Elementary School
    Mammoth Heights Elementary
    Pine Grove Elementary School
    Pine Lane Elementary
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  17.7 Help
Number of students:  779

Racial breakdown:

White:
70.7%
Hispanic:
16.4%
Two or more races:
5.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  16.7% Help


 See top rated Colorado middle schools

 Compare Sierra Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Sierra Middle School ranks better than 62.1% of middle schools in Colorado. It also ranks last among 9 ranked middle schools in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.99. (See more...)
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Sierra Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sierra Middle School is $13,617. 8 middle schools in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1 spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sierra Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Sierra Middle School 184th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Sierra Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Douglas County School District No. Re 1:

SchoolDigger ranks Douglas County School District No. Re 1 5th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Sierra Middle School.

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Rank History for Sierra Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Sierra Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 75.86 70th 336 79.2%
2005 71.79 95th 340 72.1%
2006 75.35 81st 346 76.6%
2007 71.46 90th 360 75.0%
2008 69.33 98th 362 72.9%
2009 70.44 103rd 377 72.7%
2010 77.57 77th 409 81.2%
2011 76.55 87th 422 79.4%
2012 74.28 100th 425 76.5%
2013 63.77 163rd 454 64.1%
2014 68.31 137th 461 70.3%
2015 48.21 202nd 436 53.7%
2016 51.67 174th 400 56.5%
2017 44.13 206th 424 51.4%
2018 42.53 228th 418 45.5%
2019 44.38 245th 458 46.5%
2021 63.59 114th 369 69.1%
2022 69.07 112th 448 75.0%
2023 54.81 176th 480 63.3%
2024 54.99 184th 485 62.1%
See the entire list of Colorado Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Sierra Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 43.42 12th 17 29.4%
2024 24.33 20th 25 20.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sierra Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.91 147th 222 33.8%
2019 43.85 122nd 240 49.2%
2023 47.68 99th 241 58.9%
2024 40.88 132nd 244 45.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sierra Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.11 187th 315 40.6%
2019 45.30 181st 352 48.6%
2021 53.26 107th 254 57.9%
2022 63.24 106th 326 67.5%
2023 49.52 164th 363 54.8%
2024 51.79 152nd 350 56.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Sierra Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.18 63rd 121 47.9%
2019 39.49 99th 134 26.1%
2023 58.16 65th 125 48.0%
2024 51.83 76th 126 39.7%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sierra Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.89 179th 317 43.5%
2019 37.61 201st 343 41.4%
2021 61.68 81st 249 67.5%
2022 63.52 101st 328 69.2%
2023 50.28 152nd 356 57.3%
2024 49.25 152nd 357 57.4%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sierra Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.61 101st 165 38.8%
2019 38.43 127th 220 42.3%
2022 72.86 28th 169 83.4%
2023 44.83 98th 198 50.5%
2024 55.26 71st 199 64.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sierra Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.60 158th 199 20.6%
2019 24.05 222nd 283 21.6%
2021 47.07 101st 203 50.2%
2022 49.14 129th 265 51.3%
2023 32.83 193rd 286 32.5%
2024 34.75 177th 273 35.2%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Colorado Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Sierra Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2)
0%

25%

0%

25%

50%

  

by a parent
Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Open Quote I am embarrassed my child attends this school. The special education program is not supported by administration. I feel unsafe there as a parent. Administration is condescending and not genuine. Look elsewhere at all costs!!!!! Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, February 13, 2017

Open Quote The challenge with this school is the disparity and inconsistency among faculty. In 7th grade, our student had primarily fantastic, supportive, engaged teachers and she grew by leaps and bounds. I heard others speak poorly of their own experience on other teams, and didn't understand why. Fast forward to 8th grade, and now I get it. The 8th grade team our student was placed in has very different of teachers. They don't teach as a team, our student is not supported, there is NO sense of community, I feel like my student is not "liked" by the teachers, which is not our experience from last year with more experienced, team-minded teachers. Looking forward to our student moving out of this building. I have attempted to contact the principal and received no response. I cannot recommend this school, as the experience is too inconsistent. Your child could have a great experience, or very poor. Take caution. Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Open Quote My daughter went to Sierra and had an IEP. The support staff were great and most of the teachers too! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sierra Middle School

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1998 640 6 17 29 2 n/a n/a 0 694
1999 684 10 13 33 2 n/a n/a 0 742
2000 691 13 11 41 4 n/a n/a 0 760
2001 689 7 12 43 5 n/a n/a 0 756
2002 822 16 19 51 7 n/a n/a 0 915
2003 822 16 19 51 7 n/a n/a 0 915
2004 843 28 22 87 5 n/a n/a 0 985
2005 933 29 24 89 3 n/a n/a 0 1078
2006 990 21 24 94 7 n/a n/a 0 1136
2007 988 25 29 112 11 n/a n/a 0 1165
2008 1041 32 52 107 9 n/a n/a 0 1241
2009 834 21 36 81 4 n/a n/a 0 976
2010 828 24 41 90 4 n/a n/a 0 987
2011 755 16 42 115 8 0 41 0 977
2012 720 13 30 132 8 1 47 0 951
2013 777 21 19 161 7 1 39 0 1025
2014 803 21 27 147 8 1 46 0 1053
2015 737 9 30 133 7 1 51 0 968
2016 755 10 26 123 8 1 49 0 972
2017 724 16 26 135 3 4 43 0 951
2018 639 11 26 134 5 4 40 0 859
2019 628 16 21 145 3 3 41 0 857
2020 625 16 29 151 5 3 46 0 875
2021 580 16 22 140 4 0 42 0 804
2022 544 21 15 131 3 0 47 0 761
2023 551 23 26 128 7 0 44 0 779

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Sierra Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 694 41.2 16.8 2.9
1999 742 41.1 18.1 1.5
2000 760 48.0 15.8 2.9
2001 756 51.7 14.6 2.4
2002 915 57.4 15.9 2.5
2003 915 57.4 15.9 2.5
2004 985 60.5 16.3 2.7
2005 1078 62.7 17.2 3.7
2006 1136 66.1 17.2 4.3
2007 1165 67.7 17.2 6.1
2008 1241 76.1 16.3 5.8
2009 976 62.4 15.6 6.6
2010 987 56.5 17.4 9.8
2011 977 52.3 18.6 10.3
2012 951 47.4 20.0 14.2
2013 1025 51.2 20.0 15.4
2014 1053 54.0 19.4 17.1
2015 968 54.0 17.9 17.9
2016 972 49.0 19.8 18.4
2017 951 50.5 18.8 16.5
2018 859 46.3 18.5 17.5
2019 857 48.4 17.6 17.9
2020 875 48.3 18.0 17.3
2021 804 46.0 17.4 17
2022 761 41.6 18.2 13.5
2023 779 43.9 17.7 16.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Sierra Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 694 41.2 16.8 2.9
1999 742 41.1 18.1 1.5
2000 760 48.0 15.8 2.9
2001 756 51.7 14.6 2.4
2002 915 57.4 15.9 2.5
2003 915 57.4 15.9 2.5
2004 985 60.5 16.3 2.7
2005 1078 62.7 17.2 3.7
2006 1136 66.1 17.2 4.3
2007 1165 67.7 17.2 6.1
2008 1241 76.1 16.3 5.8
2009 976 62.4 15.6 6.6
2010 987 56.5 17.4 9.8
2011 977 52.3 18.6 10.3
2012 951 47.4 20.0 14.2
2013 1025 51.2 20.0 15.4
2014 1053 54.0 19.4 17.1
2015 968 54.0 17.9 17.9
2016 972 49.0 19.8 18.4
2017 951 50.5 18.8 16.5
2018 859 46.3 18.5 17.5
2019 857 48.4 17.6 17.9
2020 875 48.3 18.0 17.3
2021 804 46.0 17.4 17
2022 761 41.6 18.2 13.5
2023 779 43.9 17.7 16.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Sierra Middle School

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $11,224
2020 $11,692
2021 $11,485
2022 $12,944
2023 $13,617

Data source: Colorado Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sierra Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 245th of 458 Middle schoolsRanks 176th of 480 Middle schools
 16.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Sierra Middle School)43.353.3
 10%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)56.764.4
 7.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.545
 1.5%
7th Grade Math (Sierra Middle School)3738.2
 1.2%
   7th Grade Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)43.544.9
 1.4%
   7th Grade Math (Colorado)31.626.3
 5.3%
8th Grade Science (Sierra Middle School)31.125.7
 5.4%
   8th Grade Science (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)41.945.9
 4%
   8th Grade Science (Colorado)31.531.3
 0.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Sierra Middle School)28.637.9
 9.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)52.558.4
 5.9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.942.4
 4.5%
8th Grade Math (Sierra Middle School)38.736.4
 2.3%
   8th Grade Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)48.850.5
 1.7%
   8th Grade Math (Colorado)36.932.7
 4.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Sierra Middle School)36.145.8
 9.7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)56.761.6
 4.9%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)45.843.7
 2.1%
All Grades Math (Sierra Middle School)37.837.3
 0.5%
   All Grades Math (Douglas County School District No. Re 1)46.550.7
 4.2%
   All Grades Math (Colorado)34.732.9
 1.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students857779
 9.1%
African American1623
 43.8%
American Indian37
 133.3%
Asian2126
 23.8%
Hispanic145128
 11.7%
Pacific Islander30
 100%
White628551
 12.3%
Two or More Races4144
 7.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients17.9%16.7%
 1.2%


Schools Near Sierra Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Sierra Middle School

Students who attend Sierra Middle School usually go on to attend Chaparral High School

Students at Sierra Middle School are 71% White, 16% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 3% African American.

Sierra Middle School ranks 184th of 485 Colorado middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 779 students attended Sierra Middle School.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Colorado Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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