Is Mountain Sage Community School a good school?

Mountain Sage Community School ranks 481 st of 943 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Mountain Sage Community School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 287 students attended Mountain Sage Community School.

What is the racial makeup of Mountain Sage Community School?

Students at Mountain Sage Community School are 83% White, 10% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

Mountain Sage Community School

Summary:

Mountain Sage Community School is a public charter elementary and middle school (grades K-8) located in Fort Collins, Colorado, with 287 students as of the 2022-2023 school year. Compared to nearby Kruse Elementary School, Beattie Elementary School, and other public schools in the Poudre School District R-1, Mountain Sage stands out for its significantly higher percentage of white students, lower test scores (particularly in math), and fluctuating statewide ranking.

While Mountain Sage maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio ranging from 11.3 to 13.9 over the past three school years, its academic performance has been variable. In 2023-2024, only 28.4% of Mountain Sage students were proficient or better in CMAS Math across all grades, compared to 50.1% for the Poudre School District and 34.2% for Colorado. Additionally, the school's statewide ranking among Colorado elementary schools has ranged from 282nd out of 933 schools (4 stars) in 2022-2023 to 481st out of 943 schools (2 stars) in 2023-2024.

The lower test scores and variable school ranking at Mountain Sage may be influenced by factors such as the school's demographics, teaching practices, or curriculum. As a public charter school, Mountain Sage may have a unique educational approach or focus that differs from the nearby traditional public schools, which could contribute to the school's distinct student population and performance outcomes.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

2310 East Prospect Road Suite
Fort Collins, CO 80525

(970) 568-5456

District: Poudre School District R-1

SchoolDigger Rank:
481^st of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,820

Student/teacher ratio: 13.9

Number of students: 287

Racial breakdown:

White:

82.6%

Two or more races:

10.1%

Hispanic:

4.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 29.6%

See top rated Colorado elementary schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Mountain Sage Community School ranks worse than 51% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks 25^th among 30 ranked elementary schools in the Poudre School District R-1. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.93. (See more...)

Compare Details Mountain Sage Community School ranks better than 73.4% of middle schools in Colorado. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.02. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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 Mountain Sage Community School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Poudre School District R-1. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mountain Sage Community School is $11,820, which is the lowest among 31 elementary schools in the Poudre School District R-1!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mountain Sage Community School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mountain Sage Community School 481^st of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Mountain Sage Community School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

SchoolDigger ranks Mountain Sage Community School 129^th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Mountain Sage Community School in the ranking list.)

Poudre School District R-1:

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

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Mountain Sage Community School.

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Your rating for Mountain Sage Community School?

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Rank History for Mountain Sage Community School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Mountain Sage Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2015	30.60	619^th	938	34.0%
2016	40.29	508^th	914	44.4%
2017	31.39	612^th	929	34.1%
2018	52.60	393^rd	917	57.1%
2019	65.03	314^th	965	67.5%
2021	53.84	347^th	710	51.1%
2022	56.98	370^th	921	59.8%
2023	66.36	282^nd	933	69.8%
2024	45.93	481^st	943	49.0%

See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Mountain Sage Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	54.03	271^st	595	54.5%
2024	24.62	512^th	684	25.1%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Mountain Sage Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	47.32	307^th	594	48.3%
2024	26.12	479^th	683	29.9%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Mountain Sage Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	40.35	298^th	454	34.4%
2023	46.76	283^rd	525	46.1%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Mountain Sage Community School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CO State Percentile
2019	70.58	108^th	458	76.4%
2021	68.85	97^th	369	73.7%
2022	84.96	47^th	448	89.5%
2023	85.40	54^th	480	88.8%
2024	69.02	129^th	485	73.4%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

by a parent
Thursday, May 13, 2021

We have been a part of the MSCS community for some time now, and even, no, especially after this crazy pandemic year, we remain happy to be a part of it. The depth of caring from the teachers is bar none and I have every confidence that next year, which will be a challenge for schools across the country, will be fantastic. We love it here. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, May 13, 2021

My daughter has attended Mountain Sage for four years so far and she says everything about her school is the best! We are blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Our family has been involved with various private and public Waldorf schools thru the years, and Mountain Sage is a great balance of Waldorf education and "the real world". The teachers care about the work they do, there is something special and meaningful about have the same teacher 1-5 and then 6-8th grade that provides deep connection. We are so grateful for this wonderful community. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, September 19, 2019

Mountain Sage Community School has been a great place for our kids. The staff and the teachers have always been enthusiastic, supportive, well prepared, and have done a great job with our kids. We love the focus on the whole person, and the lack of focus in the early grades on electronics. The school emphasizes creativity and a love of learning. The teachers are always trying to find ways to improve either through mentoring with peers or summer training we hear about, and they always seem to bring this great energy. The fact that you can get a Waldorf-inspired education without the cost a typical private Waldorf school is amazing. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Amazing school! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Mountain Sage Community School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2014	168	3	0	8	0	10	189
2015	184	6	0	6	0	7	203
2016	202	5	0	16	2	7	232
2017	240	5	3	14	2	4	268
2018	241	3	3	18	0	5	270
2019	277	5	2	20	0	9	313
2020	281	3	1	22	0	11	318
2021	264	0	1	16	0	8	289
2022	237	1	3	12	0	15	268
2023	237	1	4	14	2	29	287

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 Mountain Sage Community School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	189	12.9	14.6	21.7
2015	203	14.0	14.5	13.3
2016	232	15.0	15.4	35.3
2017	268	18.2	14.7	21.3
2018	270	17.5	15.3	24.4
2019	313	19.6	15.8	27.8
2020	318	20.7	15.2	24.8
2021	289	21.3	13.5	n/a
2022	268	23.6	11.3	23.5
2023	287	20.5	13.9	29.6

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 Mountain Sage Community School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	189	12.9	14.6	21.7
2015	203	14.0	14.5	13.3
2016	232	15.0	15.4	35.3
2017	268	18.2	14.7	21.3
2018	270	17.5	15.3	24.4
2019	313	19.6	15.8	27.8
2020	318	20.7	15.2	24.8
2021	289	21.3	13.5	n/a
2022	268	23.6	11.3	23.5
2023	287	20.5	13.9	29.6

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 Mountain Sage Community School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$8,144
2020	$9,358
2021	$9,922
2022	$11,435
2023	$11,820

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mountain Sage Community 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 314^th of 965 Elementary schools	Ranks 282^nd of 933 Elementary schools	2.3%
Ranks 108^th of 458 Middle schools	Ranks 54^th of 480 Middle schools	12.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mountain Sage Community School)	68	61	7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)	66.6	59.1	7.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48	43.8	4.2%
4th Grade Math (Mountain Sage Community School)	40	24.4	15.6%
4th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)	53.7	49.4	4.3%
4th Grade Math (Colorado)	33.6	32.7	0.9%
5th Grade Science (Mountain Sage Community School)	40.8	42.9	2.1%
5th Grade Science (Poudre School District R-1)	51.7	49.5	2.2%
5th Grade Science (Colorado)	35.9	33.9	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mountain Sage Community School)	66.7	70	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)	66.4	64.3	2.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48.4	47.8	0.6%
5th Grade Math (Mountain Sage Community School)	33.3	47.6	14.3%
5th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)	54.5	52.6	1.9%
5th Grade Math (Colorado)	35.7	36.5	0.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Mountain Sage Community School)	48.3	73.9	25.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)	57	57.3	0.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	46.5	45	1.5%
7th Grade Math (Mountain Sage Community School)	27.6	44.4	16.8%
7th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)	46.5	38.9	7.6%
7th Grade Math (Colorado)	31.6	25.1	6.5%
8th Grade Science (Mountain Sage Community School)	63.2	76.5	13.3%
8th Grade Science (Poudre School District R-1)	45.2	46.6	1.4%
8th Grade Science (Colorado)	31.5	31.3	0.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Mountain Sage Community School)	78.9	82.4	3.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)	59.9	58.3	1.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	46.9	42.4	4.5%
8th Grade Math (Mountain Sage Community School)	63.2	58.8	4.4%
8th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)	55.5	53.5	2%
8th Grade Math (Colorado)	36.9	32.7	4.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Mountain Sage Community School)	59	63.6	4.6%
All Grades English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)	60.6	58.7	1.9%
All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)	45.8	43.7	2.1%
All Grades Math (Mountain Sage Community School)	34.1	31.3	2.8%
All Grades Math (Poudre School District R-1)	52	49.5	2.5%
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	313	287	8.3%
African American	5	1	80%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	2	4	100%
Hispanic	20	14	30%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	277	237	14.4%
Two or More Races	9	29	222.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	27.8%	29.6%	1.8%

Schools Near Mountain Sage Community 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 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math 6th Grade	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	CMAS Science 8th Grade	Total
Mountain Sage Community School	Public, Charter	K-8	2310 East Prospect Road Suite	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	Yes	No	No	No	(970) 568-5456	287	21	13.9	29.6%	237 (82.6%)	1 (0.3%)	14 (4.9%)	4 (1.4%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (10.1%)	45.9	481^st of 943 public elementary schools	49.0%		66.4	282^nd of 933 public elementary schools	69.8%	199		66.7	47.6	52.9	68.0	59.0		37.5	15.9	42.9	25.0	28.4	29.3	66.7	$11,820
Riffenburgh Elementary School	Public	K-5	1320 East Stuart Street	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-7935	479	28	17.2	23.4%	358 (74.7%)	6 (1.3%)	77 (16.1%)	12 (2.5%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.8%)	80.6	164^th of 943 public elementary schools	82.6%		78.5	176^th of 933 public elementary schools	81.1%	12	60.7	56.1	76.3			64.4	59.0	47.0	58.8			54.5	53.2		$14,545
Laurel Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 East Locust Street	Fort Collins	80524	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 488-5925	464	32	14.3	49.1%	244 (52.6%)	9 (1.9%)	165 (35.6%)	8 (1.7%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (7.3%)	34.1	569^th of 943 public elementary schools	39.7%		31.1	599^th of 933 public elementary schools	35.8%	30	28.4	35.4	41.1			34.6	26.5	24.2	31.7			27.3	41.0		$16,346
Harris Bilingual Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	501 East Elizabeth	Fort Collins	80524	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 488-5200	315	20	16.0	54.6%	82 (26.0%)	1 (0.3%)	226 (71.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	61	353^rd of 943 public elementary schools	62.6%		57.5	364^th of 933 public elementary schools	61.0%	11	73.1	36.2	45.7			47.9	50.0	50.0	45.7			48.6	40.0		$16,645
Shepardson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1501 Springwood Drive	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-4525	440	29	15.1	21.4%	375 (85.2%)	7 (1.6%)	32 (7.3%)	9 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (3.4%)	85	122^nd of 943 public elementary schools	87.1%		85.8	109^th of 933 public elementary schools	88.3%	13	57.1	72.5	64.5			64.7	58.6	68.7	55.7			61.1	60.7		$16,104
O'Dea Elementary School	Public	K-5	312 Princeton Road	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-4450	429	28	15.3	33.8%	313 (73.0%)	4 (0.9%)	79 (18.4%)	8 (1.9%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.9%)	82.9	143^rd of 943 public elementary schools	84.8%		80.3	162^nd of 933 public elementary schools	82.6%	19	63.6	65.7	61.3			63.6	63.6	51.4	59.0			57.9	54.1		$17,270
Linton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4100 Caribou Drive	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 488-5850	347	30	11.6	58.8%	149 (42.9%)	5 (1.4%)	176 (50.7%)	4 (1.2%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.2%)	28.2	634^th of 943 public elementary schools	32.8%		31.2	598^th of 933 public elementary schools	35.9%	36	32.6	32.7	34.0			33.1	26.7	20.0	32.0			26.2	26.0		$17,248
Kruse Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4400 McMurry Avenue	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-5625	458	29	15.8	35.6%	312 (68.1%)	4 (0.9%)	106 (23.1%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.2%)	88.2	93^rd of 943 public elementary schools	90.1%		87	99^th of 933 public elementary schools	89.4%	6	62.9	63.8	73.6			66.8	64.3	56.5	69.9			63.7	61.4		$15,095
Beattie Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3000 Meadowlark Avenue	Fort Collins	80526	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-4225	336	21	16.1	53.9%	215 (64.0%)	10 (3.0%)	78 (23.2%)	7 (2.1%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (6.8%)	69.2	275^th of 943 public elementary schools	70.8%		65.5	291^st of 933 public elementary schools	68.8%	16	47.7	57.9	58.7			54.7	41.9	50.0	50.0			47.2	52.2		$15,472
Dunn Elementary School	Public	K-5	501 South Washington	Fort Collins	80521	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-4825	389	27	14.4	22.6%	305 (78.4%)	15 (3.9%)	25 (6.4%)	21 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.9%)	87.9	97^th of 943 public elementary schools	89.7%		85.5	113^th of 933 public elementary schools	87.9%	16	59.7	74.6	78.0			70.7	53.2	64.7	60.0			59.5	71.2		$16,375

Mountain Sage Community School

Mountain Sage Community School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Poudre School District R-1:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Mountain Sage Community School

Rank History for all elementary school students at Mountain Sage Community School

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Mountain Sage Community School

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Mountain Sage Community School

Rank History for elementary school White students at Mountain Sage Community School

Rank History for Mountain Sage Community School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Mountain Sage Community School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Mountain Sage Community School

Student/Teacher Ratio Mountain Sage Community School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Mountain Sage Community School

Impact of COVID-19 on Mountain Sage Community School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Mountain Sage Community School