The Juniper School

Q: Is The Juniper School a good school?

The Juniper School ranks 331 st of 943 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

The Juniper School is a public charter elementary school serving 162 students in grades K-8 in Durango, Colorado, which is part of the highly-ranked Durango School District No. 9-R. This school stands out for its consistently strong academic performance, with students outpacing the district and state averages on standardized tests, as well as its relatively low student-teacher ratio and lower percentage of economically disadvantaged students compared to nearby public schools.

The Juniper School has maintained impressive test scores, with 54.9% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 37.8% proficient in Math, exceeding the district and state averages. Additionally, the school has a student-teacher ratio ranging from 13.9 to 15, lower than the nearby Ignacio Elementary School, Bayfield Primary School, and other public schools in the area. The Juniper School also serves a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 17.48% to 29.2%, compared to the higher rates at surrounding public schools.

While The Juniper School's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, it has consistently outperformed the district and state in academic assessments, suggesting the school is effectively supporting student learning and achievement. However, the school's student population is predominantly White, which may indicate it is attracting a specific demographic within the Durango community. Overall, The Juniper School appears to be a high-performing charter school offering a unique educational experience compared to the surrounding public schools in the area.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

225 Sawyer Dr
Durango, CO 81303

(970) 764-4185

District: Durango School District No. 9-R

SchoolDigger Rank:
331^st of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,033

Student/teacher ratio: 11.9

Number of students: 169

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.5%

Hispanic:

14.2%

Two or more races:

1.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 37.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details The Juniper School ranks better than 64.9% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks 2^nd among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Durango School District No. 9-R. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.71. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (80.5%), Hispanic (14.2%), two or more races (1.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 37.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at The Juniper School is 11.9. 5 elementary schools in the Durango School District No. 9-R have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare The Juniper School employs 14.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at The Juniper School is $11,033, which is the lowest among 8 elementary schools in the Durango School District No. 9-R!

Schooldigger Rankings:

The Juniper School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Durango School District No. 9-R:

SchoolDigger ranks Durango School District No. 9-R 30^th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for The Juniper School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2019	41.38	532^nd	965	44.9%
2022	63.72	307^th	921	66.7%
2023	82.69	137^th	933	85.3%
2024	63.71	331^st	943	64.9%

See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

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

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

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Enrollment information for The Juniper School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2018	98	1	0	12	3	0	4	118
2019	108	1	0	13	3	0	5	130
2020	119	1	0	14	0	0	4	138
2021	116	0	1	16	0	1	3	137
2022	122	0	1	12	2	1	5	143
2023	132	1	1	22	0	1	5	162
2024	136	1	2	24	2	1	3	169

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 The Juniper School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	118	10.6	11.0	19.5
2019	130	11.5	11.2	22.3
2020	138	9.6	14.2	26.8
2021	137	9.1	15.0	29.2
2022	143	10.1	14.1	17.5
2023	162	11.6	13.9	25.9
2024	169	14.1	11.9	37.9

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 The Juniper School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	118	10.6	11.0	19.5
2019	130	11.5	11.2	22.3
2020	138	9.6	14.2	26.8
2021	137	9.1	15.0	29.2
2022	143	10.1	14.1	17.5
2023	162	11.6	13.9	25.9
2024	169	14.1	11.9	37.9

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 The Juniper School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,091
2020	$9,273
2021	$8,690
2022	$9,345
2023	$11,033

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on The Juniper 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 532^nd of 965 Elementary schools	Ranks 137^th of 933 Elementary schools	40.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (The Juniper School)	50	70	20%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Durango School District No. 9-R)	38.6	43.6	5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	41.3	39.9	1.4%
3rd Grade Math (The Juniper School)	30.8	75	44.2%
3rd Grade Math (Durango School District No. 9-R)	35.6	44.9	9.3%
3rd Grade Math (Colorado)	41	40.4	0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (The Juniper School)	59.1	54.5	4.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Durango School District No. 9-R)	50.1	46.6	3.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48	43.8	4.2%
5th Grade Science (The Juniper School)	20	52.6	32.6%
5th Grade Science (Durango School District No. 9-R)	43.6	38.2	5.4%
5th Grade Science (Colorado)	35.9	33.9	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (The Juniper School)	23.8	47.6	23.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Durango School District No. 9-R)	52.9	51	1.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48.4	45.4	3%
All Grades English Language Arts (The Juniper School)	44.9	56.2	11.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Durango School District No. 9-R)	47.2	47.4	0.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)	45.8	43.7	2.1%
All Grades Math (The Juniper School)	17.4	45.2	27.8%
All Grades Math (Durango School District No. 9-R)	29.9	32.9	3%
All Grades Math (Colorado)	34.7	32.9	1.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	130	162	24.6%
African American	1	1
American Indian	3	0	100%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	13	22	69.2%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	108	132	22.2%
Two or More Races	5	5
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	22.3%	25.9%	3.6%

Schools Near The Juniper School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CMAS English Language Arts (2024)				CMAS Math (2024)				CMAS Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CMAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	Total
The Juniper School	Public, Charter	K-8	225 Sawyer Dr	Durango	81303	La Plata County	Durango School District No. 9-R	Yes	No	No	No	(970) 764-4185	169	14	11.9	37.9%	136 (80.5%)	1 (0.6%)	24 (14.2%)	2 (1.2%)	2 (1.2%)	1 (0.6%)	3 (1.8%)	63.7	331^st of 943 public elementary schools	64.9%		82.7	137^th of 933 public elementary schools	85.3%	194	66.7	50.0	52.4	54.9	50.0	29.2	42.9	37.8	52.4	$11,033
Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	510 E. 6th Ave.	Durango	81301	La Plata County	Durango School District No. 9-R	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 247-3718	439	32	13.6	39.4%	258 (58.8%)	1 (0.2%)	102 (23.2%)	6 (1.4%)	32 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (9.1%)	78.8	177^th of 943 public elementary schools	81.2%		78.2	178^th of 933 public elementary schools	80.9%	1	64.3	58.7	57.1	60.6	55.3	50.8	55.2	53.9	55.2	$13,882
Needham Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2425 West Third Avenue	Durango	81301	La Plata County	Durango School District No. 9-R	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 247-4791	347	29	11.8	46.1%	239 (68.9%)	5 (1.4%)	62 (17.9%)	1 (0.3%)	21 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.5%)	55.1	402^nd of 943 public elementary schools	57.4%		50.6	425^th of 933 public elementary schools	54.4%	23	55.6	42.6	56.8	51.3	50.9	29.8	25.0	35.9	42.2	$14,061
Riverview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2900 Mesa Avenue	Durango	81301	La Plata County	Durango School District No. 9-R	No	No	No	No	(970) 247-3862	413	33	12.6	24.7%	315 (76.3%)	3 (0.7%)	44 (10.7%)	3 (0.7%)	24 (5.8%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (5.6%)	61.1	351^st of 943 public elementary schools	62.8%		64.1	308^th of 933 public elementary schools	67.0%	43	62.8	51.9	44.4	54.3	56.4	40.4	20.8	41.5	40.7	$14,276
Florida Mesa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	216 Highway 172	Durango	81303	La Plata County	Durango School District No. 9-R	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 247-4250	286	25	11.3	50.3%	170 (59.4%)	0 (0.0%)	83 (29.0%)	2 (0.7%)	19 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.2%)	31.2	602^nd of 943 public elementary schools	36.2%		43.2	490^th of 933 public elementary schools	47.5%	112	50.0	33.3	38.2	39.3	28.6	20.8	20.6	23.0	23.5	$16,985
Sunnyside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	75 Cr 218	Durango	81303	La Plata County	Durango School District No. 9-R	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 259-5249	108	11	10.2	45.4%	65 (60.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (31.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.6%)								(n/a)				35.1				15.8		$19,552
Animas Valley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	373 Hermosa Meadows Road	Durango	81301	La Plata County	Durango School District No. 9-R	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 247-0124	183	18	10.3	41.5%	105 (57.4%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (29.5%)	1 (0.5%)	12 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (6.0%)	53.6	420^th of 943 public elementary schools	55.5%		34.3	563^rd of 933 public elementary schools	39.7%	143	48.1	50.0	57.9	51.4	42.9	26.9	42.1	37.0	31.6	$19,705
Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	11274 Highway 140	Hesperus	81326	La Plata County	Durango School District No. 9-R	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 588-3331	106	11	9.9	55.7%	80 (75.5%)	1 (0.9%)	17 (16.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.7%)								(n/a)	52.4			59.6	42.9			51.1		$21,896
Ignacio Early Learning Program	Public	PK	535 Candelaria Drive	Ignacio	81137	La Plata County	Ignacio School District No. 11Jt	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(970) 563-0681	42	2	21.0	26.2%	13 (31.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (42.9%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (19.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (7.1%)								(n/a)
Bayfield Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	511 East Mustang Lane	Bayfield	81122	La Plata County	Bayfield School District No. 10Jt-R	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 884-0881	249	18	13.6	40.6%	175 (70.3%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (20.5%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.0%)	1 (0.4%)	12 (4.8%)								(n/a)										$14,271

Frequently Asked Questions about The Juniper School

What district is The Juniper School in?

Durango School District No. 9-R

How many students attend The Juniper School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 169 students attended The Juniper School.

Is The Juniper School a good school?

The Juniper School ranks 331^st of 943 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of The Juniper School?

Students at The Juniper School are 80% White, 14% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian, 1% American Indian.

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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.