Lesher Middle School

Summary:

Lesher Middle School is a public middle school located in Fort Collins, Colorado, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 723 students. As part of the highly-ranked Poudre School District R-1, Lesher consistently performs above state and district averages in academic assessments, with a strong focus on gifted and talented education.

Lesher Middle School stands out for its academic excellence, ranking in the top 20% of Colorado middle schools for the past several years. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (60.7%) and Math (46.9%) significantly exceed the state averages of 44.1% and 34.2%, respectively. Lesher also has a diverse student population, with a higher percentage of Hispanic and Asian students compared to nearby schools. Additionally, the school maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 18.4 to 20.1 over the past three years.

While Lesher Middle School is a high-performing institution, the data suggests opportunities for improvement in supporting the academic growth of Hispanic and low socioeconomic status students, who are underperforming compared to their peers. In contrast, the school's performance for female, male, and White student subgroups is particularly strong, ranking in the top 20% of Colorado middle schools. When compared to nearby schools, Lesher generally outperforms Cache La Poudre Middle School and Webber Middle School, though the high-performing Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School in the same district surpasses Lesher in several key metrics.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1400 Stover Street
       Fort Collins, CO  80524-4249


(970) 472-3800

District: Poudre School District R-1

SchoolDigger Rank:
85th of 485 Colorado Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,744 Help


Students who attend Lesher Middle School usually attend:

High:    Fort Collins High School

Feeder schools for Lesher Middle School:

Elementary:    Riffenburgh Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.7 Help
Number of students:  769

Racial breakdown:

White:
71.7%
Hispanic:
19.6%
Two or more races:
4.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  32.5% Help


 See top rated Colorado middle schools

 Compare Lesher Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Lesher Middle School ranks better than 82.5% of middle schools in Colorado. It also ranks 2nd among 8 ranked middle schools in the Poudre School District R-1. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 77.05. (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 Lesher Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Poudre School District R-1. Racial makeup is: White (71.7%), Hispanic (19.6%), two or more races (4.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 32.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lesher Middle School is 17.7. 4 middle schools in the Poudre School District R-1 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Lesher Middle School employs 43.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lesher Middle School is $14,744. 6 middle schools in the Poudre School District R-1 spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Lesher Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Lesher Middle School 85th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Lesher Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Poudre School District R-1:

SchoolDigger ranks Poudre School District R-1 11th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Lesher Middle School.

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Rank History for Lesher Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Lesher Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 70.04 96th 336 71.4%
2005 64.33 125th 340 63.2%
2006 57.77 145th 346 58.1%
2007 63.34 127th 360 64.7%
2008 63.89 119th 362 67.1%
2009 75.36 77th 377 79.6%
2010 75.16 96th 409 76.5%
2011 69.31 122nd 422 71.1%
2012 68.44 134th 425 68.5%
2013 73.33 107th 454 76.4%
2014 75.16 97th 461 79.0%
2015 69.76 98th 436 77.5%
2016 64.59 113th 400 71.8%
2017 60.72 134th 424 68.4%
2018 66.71 117th 418 72.0%
2019 77.88 80th 458 82.5%
2021 68.68 99th 369 73.2%
2022 78.24 75th 448 83.3%
2023 87.01 50th 480 89.6%
2024 77.05 85th 485 82.5%
See the entire list of Colorado Middle School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.58 81st 222 63.5%
2019 66.75 48th 240 80.0%
2021 31.31 87th 114 23.7%
2022 59.20 50th 197 74.6%
2023 56.49 75th 241 68.9%
2024 48.04 112th 244 54.1%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Lesher Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.89 109th 315 65.4%
2019 72.65 83rd 352 76.4%
2021 53.45 106th 254 58.3%
2022 70.02 78th 326 76.1%
2023 81.96 59th 363 83.7%
2024 76.33 70th 350 80.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Lesher Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.10 26th 121 78.5%
2019 65.66 41st 134 69.4%
2022 76.57 15th 93 83.9%
2023 74.38 21st 125 83.2%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Lesher Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.93 83rd 317 73.8%
2019 76.52 67th 343 80.5%
2021 69.98 59th 249 76.3%
2022 75.52 62nd 328 81.1%
2023 83.00 47th 356 86.8%
2024 69.73 86th 357 75.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Lesher Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.52 78th 165 52.7%
2019 53.51 85th 220 61.4%
2021 37.76 53rd 83 36.1%
2022 55.39 62nd 169 63.3%
2023 65.00 52nd 198 73.7%
2024 52.54 80th 199 59.8%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Lesher Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.93 51st 199 74.4%
2019 75.98 48th 283 83.0%
2021 65.29 60th 203 70.4%
2022 73.46 54th 265 79.6%
2023 81.56 44th 286 84.6%
2024 66.00 76th 273 72.2%
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.

Lesher 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: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Open Quote full of anti maskers and racists Close Quote


by a student
Thursday, April 8, 2021

Open Quote Lesher Middle school is an excellent middle school. I came in 6th grade and I have felt very supported in my years. Especially in the Covid season. The teachers are really nice and truly want you to succeed. Leshe is an Ib school so you will get a choice on what art you do (Band, Orchestra, Choir, Art) and you will get to learn a language (Spanish, German, French) I have had very supporting teachers and staff that have helped me through the hard times. I got into a bt of a funk in 6th grade and I wanted to quit everything and my orchestra teacher showed me the positive route by giving me the extra help I needed and my grades started going up. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Lesher Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 664 6 13 88 6 n/a n/a 0 777
1989 651 7 11 83 3 n/a n/a 0 755
1990 659 7 11 69 5 n/a n/a 0 751
1991 602 6 10 75 5 n/a n/a 0 698
1992 580 9 7 68 2 n/a n/a 0 666
1993 533 5 7 72 8 n/a n/a 0 625
1994 539 6 9 82 7 n/a n/a 0 643
1995 481 6 12 71 9 n/a n/a 0 579
1996 481 6 12 71 9 n/a n/a 0 579
1997 423 8 13 96 10 n/a n/a 0 550
1998 413 8 12 94 10 n/a n/a 0 537
1999 426 10 18 106 5 n/a n/a 0 565
2000 517 9 20 102 3 n/a n/a 0 651
2001 512 11 28 120 9 n/a n/a 0 680
2002 476 15 28 99 12 n/a n/a 0 630
2003 476 15 28 99 12 n/a n/a 0 630
2004 480 10 22 108 9 n/a n/a 0 629
2005 465 12 19 117 9 n/a n/a 0 622
2006 394 7 9 131 6 n/a n/a 0 547
2007 406 13 16 142 7 n/a n/a 0 584
2008 431 16 21 146 6 n/a n/a 0 620
2009 420 14 25 147 7 n/a n/a 0 613
2010 456 18 31 152 10 n/a n/a 0 667
2011 446 10 27 180 1 3 16 0 683
2012 435 11 28 200 4 0 15 0 693
2013 473 11 25 205 4 0 30 0 748
2014 461 8 25 205 2 0 32 0 733
2015 487 8 22 218 1 1 29 0 766
2016 479 6 24 214 2 0 29 0 754
2017 482 7 31 210 4 0 35 0 769
2018 487 6 28 198 5 0 37 0 761
2019 466 5 31 221 7 0 41 0 771
2020 510 6 25 208 2 0 41 0 792
2021 537 5 23 188 3 0 43 0 799
2022 529 4 24 177 6 2 36 0 778
2023 513 7 17 142 5 2 37 0 723
2024 551 7 19 151 5 0 36 0 769

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 Lesher Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 777 34.1 22.7 n/a
1989 755 39.8 18.9 12.8
1990 751 40.4 18.5 11.3
1991 698 33.5 20.8 14.3
1992 666 36.9 18.0 11.4
1993 625 33.8 18.5 13.1
1994 643 29.3 21.9 12.4
1995 579 27.3 21.2 16.6
1996 579 27.3 21.2 16.6
1997 550 29.7 18.5 20.5
1998 537 31.2 17.2 16.6
1999 565 31.9 17.7 15.9
2000 651 34.7 18.8 17.8
2001 680 36.9 18.4 19.3
2002 630 38.5 16.4 17.9
2003 630 38.5 16.4 17.9
2004 629 36.5 17.2 19.2
2005 622 39.1 15.9 24.9
2006 547 35.4 15.5 27.4
2007 584 33.3 17.5 38.2
2008 620 37.8 16.4 31.9
2009 613 38.1 16.1 31.8
2010 667 39.3 16.9 37.5
2011 683 35.4 19.2 40
2012 693 37.4 18.5 41.1
2013 748 40.1 18.6 40.5
2014 733 39.0 18.7 40.2
2015 766 41.0 18.6 43.5
2016 754 42.0 17.9 42.8
2017 769 40.5 18.9 37.8
2018 761 40.5 18.7 37.8
2019 771 40.5 19.0 39.6
2020 792 38.2 20.6 35.9
2021 799 39.6 20.1 25.4
2022 778 41.4 18.7 27.2
2023 723 39.2 18.4 26
2024 769 43.3 17.7 32.5

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 Lesher Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 777 34.1 22.7 n/a
1989 755 39.8 18.9 12.8
1990 751 40.4 18.5 11.3
1991 698 33.5 20.8 14.3
1992 666 36.9 18.0 11.4
1993 625 33.8 18.5 13.1
1994 643 29.3 21.9 12.4
1995 579 27.3 21.2 16.6
1996 579 27.3 21.2 16.6
1997 550 29.7 18.5 20.5
1998 537 31.2 17.2 16.6
1999 565 31.9 17.7 15.9
2000 651 34.7 18.8 17.8
2001 680 36.9 18.4 19.3
2002 630 38.5 16.4 17.9
2003 630 38.5 16.4 17.9
2004 629 36.5 17.2 19.2
2005 622 39.1 15.9 24.9
2006 547 35.4 15.5 27.4
2007 584 33.3 17.5 38.2
2008 620 37.8 16.4 31.9
2009 613 38.1 16.1 31.8
2010 667 39.3 16.9 37.5
2011 683 35.4 19.2 40
2012 693 37.4 18.5 41.1
2013 748 40.1 18.6 40.5
2014 733 39.0 18.7 40.2
2015 766 41.0 18.6 43.5
2016 754 42.0 17.9 42.8
2017 769 40.5 18.9 37.8
2018 761 40.5 18.7 37.8
2019 771 40.5 19.0 39.6
2020 792 38.2 20.6 35.9
2021 799 39.6 20.1 25.4
2022 778 41.4 18.7 27.2
2023 723 39.2 18.4 26
2024 769 43.3 17.7 32.5

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 Lesher Middle School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $11,561
2020 $11,407
2021 $11,978
2022 $13,562
2023 $14,744

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Lesher 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 80th of 458 Middle schoolsRanks 50th of 480 Middle schools
 7.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Lesher Middle School)57.966.5
 8.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)57.756.6
 1.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)43.643.4
 0.2%
6th Grade Math (Lesher Middle School)50.653.3
 2.7%
   6th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)46.944.6
 2.3%
   6th Grade Math (Colorado)29.528.2
 1.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Lesher Middle School)53.466
 12.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)5757.3
 0.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.545
 1.5%
7th Grade Math (Lesher Middle School)45.147.4
 2.3%
   7th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)46.541.7
 4.8%
   7th Grade Math (Colorado)31.626.3
 5.3%
8th Grade Science (Lesher Middle School)52.357.7
 5.4%
   8th Grade Science (Poudre School District R-1)45.246.6
 1.4%
   8th Grade Science (Colorado)31.531.3
 0.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Lesher Middle School)61.164.2
 3.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)59.958.3
 1.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.942.4
 4.5%
8th Grade Math (Lesher Middle School)55.857.4
 1.6%
   8th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)55.553.5
 2%
   8th Grade Math (Colorado)36.932.7
 4.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Lesher Middle School)57.365.7
 8.4%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)60.658.7
 1.9%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)45.843.7
 2.1%
All Grades Math (Lesher Middle School)50.352.5
 2.2%
   All Grades Math (Poudre School District R-1)5249.5
 2.5%
   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 Students771723
 6.2%
African American57
 40%
American Indian75
 28.6%
Asian3117
 45.2%
Hispanic221142
 35.7%
Pacific Islander02
White466513
 10.1%
Two or More Races4137
 9.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients39.6%26%
 13.6%


Schools Near Lesher Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Lesher Middle School

In the 2023-24 school year, 769 students attended Lesher Middle School.

Students who attend Lesher Middle School usually go on to attend Fort Collins High School

Students at Lesher Middle School are 72% White, 20% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Lesher Middle School ranks 85th of 485 Colorado middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


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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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