Clifton Elementary School

Summary:

Clifton Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 373 students in grades PK-5 in Clifton, Colorado, which is part of the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. However, the school consistently ranks in the bottom 25% of Colorado elementary schools, with very low academic performance compared to other schools in the state.

Clifton Elementary has seen a significant increase in Hispanic student enrollment, from 33.24% in 2022-2023 to 39.24% in 2020-2021, while the white student population has decreased. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 72.06% to 81.77% over the past 3 school years, which is much higher than the district and state averages. Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio, the school's academic performance is consistently well below the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas, with proficiency rates ranging from just 10.2% to 17% in math and 12.8% to 15.8% in English Language Arts.

Compared to nearby schools like Taylor Elementary School, Mesa View Elementary School, and Independence Academy, Clifton Elementary School faces significant academic challenges and widening achievement gaps, raising concerns about educational equity and the ability of the school to effectively serve its diverse student body.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

3276 F Road
Clifton, CO 81520-7536

(970) 254-4760

District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

SchoolDigger Rank:
897^th of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,227

Student/teacher ratio: 16.2

Number of students: 373

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.3%

Hispanic:

33.2%

Two or more races:

2.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 72.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Clifton Elementary School ranks worse than 95.1% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks last among 27 ranked elementary schools in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.27. (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 Clifton Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Clifton Elementary School is $15,227, which is the 5^th highest among 27 elementary schools in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Clifton Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51:

SchoolDigger ranks Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 52^nd of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Clifton Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Clifton Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2004	16.83	690^th	808	14.6%
2005	19.67	685^th	823	16.8%
2006	36.51	565^th	829	31.8%
2007	20.61	700^th	852	17.8%
2008	8.91	783^rd	849	7.8%
2009	7.70	815^th	872	6.5%
2010	16.71	787^th	925	14.9%
2011	41.77	590^th	935	36.9%
2012	31.69	676^th	935	27.7%
2013	33.53	675^th	954	29.2%
2014	32.03	683^rd	962	29.0%
2015	24.57	695^th	938	25.9%
2016	19.25	738^th	914	19.3%
2017	27.31	653^rd	929	29.7%
2018	9.01	882^nd	917	3.8%
2019	8.53	932^nd	965	3.4%
2021	14.03	651^st	710	8.3%
2022	15.53	785^th	921	14.8%
2023	8.39	902^nd	933	3.3%
2024	9.27	897^th	943	4.9%

See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Male students at Clifton Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	5.76	689^th	693	0.6%
2022	8.32	578^th	594	2.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Clifton Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	4.91	450^th	454	0.9%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary 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.

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Clifton Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	425	3	2	39	4	n/a	n/a	0	473
1989	422	3	4	39	0	n/a	n/a	0	468
1990	487	4	2	43	1	n/a	n/a	0	537
1991	499	7	2	50	3	n/a	n/a	0	561
1992	504	7	4	57	5	n/a	n/a	0	577
1993	500	7	2	57	5	n/a	n/a	0	571
1994	456	21	5	74	11	n/a	n/a	0	567
1995	525	11	2	116	12	n/a	n/a	0	666
1996	525	11	2	116	12	n/a	n/a	0	666
1997	543	8	5	142	11	n/a	n/a	0	709
1998	548	10	6	153	9	n/a	n/a	0	726
1999	382	5	2	82	4	n/a	n/a	0	475
2000	375	9	3	109	2	n/a	n/a	0	498
2001	343	7	3	108	2	n/a	n/a	-5	458
2002	367	17	2	124	2	n/a	n/a	0	512
2003	367	17	2	124	2	n/a	n/a	0	512
2004	342	16	1	103	3	n/a	n/a	0	465
2005	339	17	2	97	3	n/a	n/a	0	458
2006	346	9	4	115	7	n/a	n/a	0	481
2007	329	14	4	123	9	n/a	n/a	0	479
2008	293	10	6	130	7	n/a	n/a	0	446
2009	313	12	2	145	6	n/a	n/a	0	478
2010	333	10	1	143	6	n/a	n/a	0	493
2011	291	2	1	131	2	0	15	0	442
2012	310	0	1	170	2	0	17	0	500
2013	303	0	1	160	1	0	15	0	480
2014	283	4	0	170	2	0	10	0	469
2015	307	1	0	154	2	0	13	0	477
2016	296	0	0	173	2	0	14	0	485
2017	294	0	0	158	7	0	9	0	468
2018	276	0	0	161	4	1	14	0	456
2019	263	2	0	148	0	1	14	0	428
2020	267	1	1	157	0	2	10	0	438
2021	229	2	0	155	0	0	9	0	395
2022	226	1	2	146	0	1	7	0	383
2023	236	2	0	124	1	1	9	0	373

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 Clifton Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	473	29.7	15.9	n/a
1989	468	31.1	15.0	42.7
1990	537	31.1	17.2	47.1
1991	561	33.0	17.0	45.5
1992	577	34.6	16.6	47.5
1993	571	34.7	16.5	53.2
1994	567	38.1	14.9	52.2
1995	666	41.5	16.1	63.8
1996	666	41.5	16.1	63.8
1997	709	40.7	17.4	67.4
1998	726	43.5	16.7	56.1
1999	475	34.1	13.9	52.4
2000	498	36.1	13.8	66.1
2001	458	37.6	12.3	65.2
2002	512	41.0	12.5	71.1
2003	512	41.0	12.5	71.1
2004	465	34.2	13.6	71
2005	458	31.7	14.4	69.2
2006	481	34.4	14.0	71.1
2007	479	30.9	15.5	56.4
2008	446	30.5	14.6	67
2009	478	31.9	15.0	69.7
2010	493	33.0	14.9	67.7
2011	442	31.9	13.8	74
2012	500	32.6	15.3	76
2013	480	31.0	15.4	76.7
2014	469	31.8	14.7	79.1
2015	477	30.0	15.9	73
2016	485	30.0	16.1	83.5
2017	468	28.8	16.2	85.3
2018	456	26.0	17.5	80.3
2019	428	25.9	16.5	85.5
2020	438	26.1	16.7	74.4
2021	395	27.3	14.4	81.8
2022	383	25.9	14.7	72.1
2023	373	22.9	16.2	72.9

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 Clifton Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	473	29.7	15.9	n/a
1989	468	31.1	15.0	42.7
1990	537	31.1	17.2	47.1
1991	561	33.0	17.0	45.5
1992	577	34.6	16.6	47.5
1993	571	34.7	16.5	53.2
1994	567	38.1	14.9	52.2
1995	666	41.5	16.1	63.8
1996	666	41.5	16.1	63.8
1997	709	40.7	17.4	67.4
1998	726	43.5	16.7	56.1
1999	475	34.1	13.9	52.4
2000	498	36.1	13.8	66.1
2001	458	37.6	12.3	65.2
2002	512	41.0	12.5	71.1
2003	512	41.0	12.5	71.1
2004	465	34.2	13.6	71
2005	458	31.7	14.4	69.2
2006	481	34.4	14.0	71.1
2007	479	30.9	15.5	56.4
2008	446	30.5	14.6	67
2009	478	31.9	15.0	69.7
2010	493	33.0	14.9	67.7
2011	442	31.9	13.8	74
2012	500	32.6	15.3	76
2013	480	31.0	15.4	76.7
2014	469	31.8	14.7	79.1
2015	477	30.0	15.9	73
2016	485	30.0	16.1	83.5
2017	468	28.8	16.2	85.3
2018	456	26.0	17.5	80.3
2019	428	25.9	16.5	85.5
2020	438	26.1	16.7	74.4
2021	395	27.3	14.4	81.8
2022	383	25.9	14.7	72.1
2023	373	22.9	16.2	72.9

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 Clifton Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$12,444
2020	$14,176
2021	$13,318
2022	$13,989
2023	$15,227

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Clifton Elementary 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 932^nd of 965 Elementary schools	Ranks 902^nd of 933 Elementary schools	0.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Clifton Elementary School)	27.3	16.1	11.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	32.9	37.4	4.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	41.3	39.9	1.4%
3rd Grade Math (Clifton Elementary School)	9.1	19.6	10.5%
3rd Grade Math (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	31.8	38.3	6.5%
3rd Grade Math (Colorado)	41	40.4	0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Clifton Elementary School)	16.7	15.4	1.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	42	43.2	1.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48	44.1	3.9%
4th Grade Math (Clifton Elementary School)	9.1	11.1	2%
4th Grade Math (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	22.9	28.4	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Colorado)	33.6	32.7	0.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Clifton Elementary School)	6.6	5.9	0.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	41.1	46.7	5.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48.4	47.8	0.6%
5th Grade Math (Clifton Elementary School)	11.5	5.9	5.6%
5th Grade Math (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	23.5	36.4	12.9%
5th Grade Math (Colorado)	35.7	36.5	0.8%
All Grades Math (Clifton Elementary School)	9.9	12.5	2.6%
All Grades Math (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	24.4	29.1	4.7%
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	428	373	12.9%
African American	2	2
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	148	124	16.2%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	263	236	10.3%
Two or More Races	14	9	35.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	85.5%	72.9%	12.6%

Schools Near Clifton Elementary 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 6th 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 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	CMAS Science 8th Grade	Total
Clifton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3276 F Road	Clifton	81520	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-4760	373	23	16.2	72.9%	236 (63.3%)	2 (0.5%)	124 (33.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.4%)	9.3	897^th of 943 public elementary schools	4.9%		8.4	902^nd of 933 public elementary schools	3.3%	5	15.8	13.3	12.8				14.0	10.2	14.8	17.0				13.8	12.8		$15,227
Rocky Mountain Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3260 D1/2 Road	Clifton	81520	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-4900	469	31	15.2	74.8%	262 (55.9%)	1 (0.2%)	183 (39.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.5%)	10	884^th of 943 public elementary schools	6.3%		12.4	849^th of 933 public elementary schools	9.0%	35	15.6	22.6	16.0				17.7	16.7	10.7	13.5				13.8	12.0		$14,008
Chatfield Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3188 D1/2 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-4930	401	22	18.0	61.8%	262 (65.3%)	2 (0.5%)	121 (30.2%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.5%)	45.7	482^nd of 943 public elementary schools	48.9%		54.3	397^th of 933 public elementary schools	57.4%	85	50.0	45.1	31.7				43.2	55.6	32.0	24.4				38.6	17.5		$14,026
Ascent Classical Academy of Grand Junction	Public, Charter	K-8	545 31 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	State Charter School Institute	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(720) 541-9809	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	27.4	646^th of 943 public elementary schools	31.5%					(n/a)	33.3	20.8	29.2	43.5	30.8	57.1	35.2	34.8		20.0		23.1	35.0	22.0	25.0	42.9
Thunder Mountain Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3063 F1/2 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-5870	443	28	15.5	50.6%	295 (66.6%)	4 (0.9%)	122 (27.5%)	5 (1.1%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	13 (2.9%)	18	768^th of 943 public elementary schools	18.6%		19.6	739^th of 933 public elementary schools	20.8%	29	18.5	21.2	34.5				24.3	22.7	16.7	19.0				19.5	24.6		$13,865
Fruitvale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	585 30 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-5930	412	30	13.7	59.2%	253 (61.4%)	0 (0.0%)	139 (33.7%)	7 (1.7%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	9 (2.2%)	24.7	679^th of 943 public elementary schools	28.0%		18.1	762^nd of 933 public elementary schools	18.3%	83	30.2	23.4	31.3				28.7	26.9	33.3	23.4				27.4	20.6		$14,805
Pear Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	432 30 1/4 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-5960	441	30	14.7	71.4%	263 (59.6%)	0 (0.0%)	154 (34.9%)	6 (1.4%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.4%)	22.9	698^th of 943 public elementary schools	26.0%		16.6	779^th of 933 public elementary schools	16.5%	81	23.9	24.3	37.5				28.0	32.4	20.0	21.4				24.7	21.8		$14,572
Independence Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	675 29 Rd	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	Yes	No	No	No	(970) 254-6850	485	28	17.0	23.5%	409 (84.3%)	1 (0.2%)	53 (10.9%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.5%)	65.1	312^th of 943 public elementary schools	66.9%		55.4	385^th of 933 public elementary schools	58.7%	73	31.4	49.0	57.7	53.4	52.0	45.7	48.4	54.9	51.0	50.0	36.2	30.0	26.1	41.5	51.9	47.8	$9,604
Nisley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	543 28-3/4 Road	Grand Junction	81501	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-5900	349	26	13.2	79.7%	184 (52.7%)	10 (2.9%)	133 (38.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.2%)	10.1	879^th of 943 public elementary schools	6.8%		14	828^th of 933 public elementary schools	11.3%	51	16.7	20.0	26.3				21.0			10.0				10.7	8.3		$15,295
Taylor Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	689 Brentwood Dr	Palisade	81526	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-4870	321	22	14.7	33.0%	282 (87.9%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (10.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.6%)	71	250^th of 943 public elementary schools	73.5%		56.4	375^th of 933 public elementary schools	59.8%	125	46.9	56.1	64.0				55.7	60.0	43.9	46.0				50.4	48.0		$14,784

Frequently Asked Questions about Clifton Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Clifton Elementary School?

Students at Clifton Elementary School are 63% White, 33% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Clifton Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 373 students attended Clifton Elementary School.

Is Clifton Elementary School a good school?

Clifton Elementary School ranks in the bottom 4.9% of Colorado elementary schools.

What district is Clifton Elementary School in?

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

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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.