Is Palisade High School a good school?

Palisade High School ranks 142 nd of 349 Colorado high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Palisade High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,069 students attended Palisade High School.

What is the racial makeup of Palisade High School?

Students at Palisade High School are 65% White, 28% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What schools feed into Palisade High School?

Palisade High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Rocky Mountain Elementary School Elementary : Taylor Elementary School Middle : Mount Garfield Middle School

Palisade High School

Summary:

Palisade High School is a public high school located in Palisade, Colorado, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,125 students. The school is part of the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51, which is ranked 52 out of 116 school districts in Colorado and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Palisade High School has a diverse student population, with 65.69% White and 28.09% Hispanic students. The school's overall statewide ranking has fluctuated between 134 and 143 out of 349 Colorado high schools in recent years, with a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. While the school's performance on standardized tests is generally on par with or slightly below the district and state averages, it performs particularly well in the "Gifted and Talented Students" subgroup, ranking 2nd out of 140 Colorado high schools in 2023-2024. However, the school's performance for "Disabled Students" and "Low Socio-Economic Status Students" subgroups is relatively lower, ranking 61st and 116th, respectively, out of Colorado high schools in 2023-2024. Palisade High School has a significant percentage of students from low-income families, with 42.31% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year.

Compared to nearby schools, Fruita Monument High School and Mesa Valley Community School outperform Palisade High School on most academic metrics, while Grand Junction High School has a lower overall statewide ranking and lower proficiency rates in several subject areas compared to Palisade High School. Palisade High School's exceptional performance in the "Gifted and Talented Students" subgroup is a notable strength, but the school's relatively high percentage of students from low-income families suggests that it may face additional challenges in supporting these students' academic and social-emotional needs.

Detail:

Public 9-12

3679 G Road
Palisade, CO 81526-8616

(970) 254-4800

District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

SchoolDigger Rank:
142^nd of 349 Colorado High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,050

Feeder schools for Palisade High School:

Elementary:	Rocky Mountain Elementary School
	Taylor Elementary School
Middle:	Mount Garfield Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.3

Number of students: 1,069

Racial breakdown:

White:

64.8%

Hispanic:

27.9%

Two or more races:

4.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 51.4%

See top rated Colorado high schools

Compare Palisade High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Palisade High School ranks better than 59.3% of high schools in Colorado. It also ranks 3^rd among 5 ranked high schools in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.91. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Palisade High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 Racial makeup is: White (64.8%), Hispanic (27.9%), two or more races (4.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 51.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Palisade High School is 18.3. 3 high schools in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Palisade High School employs 58.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Palisade High School is $14,050, which is the 3^rd highest among 5 high schools in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Palisade High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Palisade High School 142^nd of 349 Colorado public high schools. (See Palisade High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

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.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Palisade High School?

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Rank History for Palisade High School

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Rank History for all students at Palisade High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2004	35.32	191^st	279	31.5%
2005	39.62	181^st	280	35.4%
2006	45.21	170^th	286	40.6%
2007	55.52	148^th	298	50.3%
2008	57.86	143^rd	301	52.5%
2009	54.18	153^rd	310	50.6%
2010	61.24	142^nd	327	56.6%
2011	70.55	98^th	337	70.9%
2012	69.06	105^th	334	68.6%
2013	64.69	125^th	349	64.2%
2014	65.52	117^th	369	68.3%
2015	55.89	87^th	292	70.2%
2016	46.82	96^th	255	62.4%
2017	44.88	112^th	256	56.3%
2018	49.83	178^th	388	54.1%
2019	52.70	178^th	411	56.7%
2021	29.45	143^rd	210	31.9%
2022	32.44	143^rd	221	35.3%
2023	56.43	134^th	349	61.6%
2024	54.91	142^nd	349	59.3%

See the entire list of Colorado High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Palisade High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	36.94	125^th	188	33.5%
2022	44.50	109^th	203	46.3%
2023	57.89	72^nd	200	64.0%
2024	43.69	116^th	211	45.0%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Palisade High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	46.07	127^th	239	46.9%
2022	52.51	118^th	257	54.1%
2023	62.33	96^th	254	62.2%
2024	56.46	111^th	257	56.8%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Palisade High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	36.63	45^th	74	39.2%
2024	32.71	61^st	84	27.4%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Palisade High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	71.81	22^nd	118	81.4%
2022	58.24	51^st	108	52.8%
2023	70.07	31^st	135	77.0%
2024	83.48	2^nd	140	98.6%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Palisade High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	46.33	127^th	240	47.1%
2022	41.64	144^th	253	43.1%
2023	43.26	143^rd	252	43.3%
2024	47.40	125^th	256	51.2%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Palisade High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	32.65	112^th	181	38.1%
2022	45.61	92^nd	205	55.1%
2023	54.95	76^th	198	61.6%
2024	51.60	80^th	199	59.8%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Palisade High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	35.10	146^th	225	35.1%
2022	31.31	153^rd	228	32.9%
2023	36.67	146^th	234	37.6%
2024	32.89	156^th	229	31.9%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High 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 Palisade High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	399	0	0	20	3	n/a	n/a	422
1989	394	0	1	16	3	n/a	n/a	414
1990	414	0	1	20	3	n/a	n/a	438
1991	435	0	1	21	3	n/a	n/a	460
1992	473	4	1	24	3	n/a	n/a	505
1993	599	4	0	37	4	n/a	n/a	644
1994	702	2	1	55	5	n/a	n/a	765
1995	843	2	6	65	6	n/a	n/a	922
1996	843	2	6	65	6	n/a	n/a	922
1997	892	4	8	66	6	n/a	n/a	976
1998	881	5	12	69	9	n/a	n/a	976
1999	850	6	10	89	9	n/a	n/a	964
2000	835	12	9	83	13	n/a	n/a	952
2001	814	9	10	86	16	n/a	n/a	935
2002	750	7	5	115	17	n/a	n/a	894
2003	750	7	5	115	17	n/a	n/a	894
2004	715	12	5	128	15	n/a	n/a	875
2005	694	12	5	138	13	n/a	n/a	862
2006	730	12	3	139	15	n/a	n/a	899
2007	748	16	5	135	18	n/a	n/a	922
2008	749	14	7	179	15	n/a	n/a	964
2009	780	20	12	181	8	n/a	n/a	1001
2010	774	24	12	209	9	n/a	n/a	1028
2011	747	12	9	214	11	0	10	1003
2012	721	6	10	227	13	1	32	1010
2013	720	9	8	233	10	1	40	1021
2014	751	7	8	253	7	2	26	1054
2015	735	7	8	259	7	0	32	1048
2016	703	6	6	254	7	0	30	1006
2017	686	6	11	269	6	1	32	1011
2018	715	7	7	277	9	1	37	1053
2019	659	7	9	285	6	0	39	1005
2020	710	6	10	318	9	0	38	1091
2021	712	8	6	331	9	0	46	1112
2022	724	8	4	323	6	0	43	1108
2023	739	6	5	316	9	3	47	1125
2024	693	11	6	298	8	4	49	1069

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 Palisade High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	422	25.6	16.4	n/a
1989	414	24.5	16.8	11.8
1990	438	27.5	15.9	8.9
1991	460	25.4	18.1	9.3
1992	505	26.6	18.9	11.7
1993	644	30.6	21.0	14.4
1994	765	32.8	23.3	11.5
1995	922	44.5	20.7	35.1
1996	922	44.5	20.7	35.1
1997	976	46.5	21.0	36.2
1998	976	48.5	20.1	27.5
1999	964	49.4	19.5	23.8
2000	952	49.6	19.2	38.1
2001	935	49.3	19.0	38.1
2002	894	52.4	17.1	38.4
2003	894	52.4	17.1	38.4
2004	875	51.4	17.0	45
2005	862	52.2	16.5	43.9
2006	899	48.7	18.5	43
2007	922	51.1	18.0	32.6
2008	964	54.6	17.7	42.4
2009	1001	58.9	17.0	43.9
2010	1028	57.2	17.9	48.2
2011	1003	57.6	17.3	45.6
2012	1010	53.4	18.8	44
2013	1021	52.2	19.5	45.3
2014	1054	53.7	19.6	40.9
2015	1048	53.0	19.7	41.1
2016	1006	53.0	18.9	47.4
2017	1011	53.2	18.9	53.2
2018	1053	52.8	19.9	45.7
2019	1005	55.3	18.1	50.1
2020	1091	52.2	20.8	44.5
2021	1112	55.8	19.9	52
2022	1108	56.3	19.6	46.6
2023	1125	57.9	19.4	42.3
2024	1069	58.3	18.3	51.4

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 Palisade High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	422	25.6	16.4	n/a
1989	414	24.5	16.8	11.8
1990	438	27.5	15.9	8.9
1991	460	25.4	18.1	9.3
1992	505	26.6	18.9	11.7
1993	644	30.6	21.0	14.4
1994	765	32.8	23.3	11.5
1995	922	44.5	20.7	35.1
1996	922	44.5	20.7	35.1
1997	976	46.5	21.0	36.2
1998	976	48.5	20.1	27.5
1999	964	49.4	19.5	23.8
2000	952	49.6	19.2	38.1
2001	935	49.3	19.0	38.1
2002	894	52.4	17.1	38.4
2003	894	52.4	17.1	38.4
2004	875	51.4	17.0	45
2005	862	52.2	16.5	43.9
2006	899	48.7	18.5	43
2007	922	51.1	18.0	32.6
2008	964	54.6	17.7	42.4
2009	1001	58.9	17.0	43.9
2010	1028	57.2	17.9	48.2
2011	1003	57.6	17.3	45.6
2012	1010	53.4	18.8	44
2013	1021	52.2	19.5	45.3
2014	1054	53.7	19.6	40.9
2015	1048	53.0	19.7	41.1
2016	1006	53.0	18.9	47.4
2017	1011	53.2	18.9	53.2
2018	1053	52.8	19.9	45.7
2019	1005	55.3	18.1	50.1
2020	1091	52.2	20.8	44.5
2021	1112	55.8	19.9	52
2022	1108	56.3	19.6	46.6
2023	1125	57.9	19.4	42.3
2024	1069	58.3	18.3	51.4

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 Palisade High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$11,406
2020	$12,551
2021	$11,513
2022	$12,755
2023	$14,050

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Palisade High 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 178^th of 411 High schools	Ranks 134^th of 349 High schools	4.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1005	1125	11.9%
African American	7	6	14.3%
American Indian	6	9	50%
Asian	9	5	44.4%
Hispanic	285	316	10.9%
Pacific Islander	0	3
White	659	739	12.1%
Two or More Races	39	47	20.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	50.1%	42.3%	7.8%

Schools Near Palisade High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSAT10 Reading and Writing (2024)	PSAT10 Mathematics (2024)	PSAT9 Reading and Writing (2024)	PSAT9 Mathematics (2024)	SAT Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	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	PSAT10 Reading and Writing 10th Grade	PSAT10 Mathematics 10th Grade	PSAT9 Reading and Writing 9th Grade	PSAT9 Mathematics 9th Grade	SAT Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 11th Grade	Total
Palisade High School	Public	9-12	3679 G Road	Palisade	81526	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-4800	1,069	58	18.3	51.4%	693 (64.8%)	11 (1.0%)	298 (27.9%)	6 (0.6%)	8 (0.7%)	4 (0.4%)	49 (4.6%)	54.9	142^nd of 349 public high schools	59.3%		56.4	134^th of 349 public high schools	61.6%	8	71.0	45.0	62.0	38.0	53.0	31.0					33.3	$14,050
Central High School	Public	9-12	3130 E1/2 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6200	1,443	79	18.1	58.6%	855 (59.3%)	6 (0.4%)	494 (34.2%)	12 (0.8%)	5 (0.3%)	3 (0.2%)	68 (4.7%)	40.5	200^th of 349 public high schools	42.7%					(n/a)	69.0	31.0	59.0	28.0	47.0	21.0					26.0	$13,447
Grand Mesa Youth Services Center	Public	5-12	360 28 Rd	Grand Junction	81501	Mesa County	Division of Youth Services	No	No	No	No	(970) 242-1521																			(n/a)												$00
Grand Mesa Youth Services Center	Public	5-12	360 28 Road	Grand Junction	81501	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 242-8445	10	0			4 (40.0%)	2 (20.0%)	4 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)												$6,431
R-5 High School	Public	9-12	455 N. 22nd St.Ste. B	Grand Junction	81501	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-6880	218	19	11.4	74.3%	122 (56.0%)	3 (1.4%)	85 (39.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.2%)								(n/a)					22.0							$18,291
Grand Junction High School	Public	9-12	1400 N 5th St	Grand Junction	81501	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6900	1,590	84	18.9	48.1%	1,086 (68.3%)	13 (0.8%)	401 (25.2%)	24 (1.5%)	3 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	60 (3.8%)	53.8	147^th of 349 public high schools	57.9%		45.6	177^th of 349 public high schools	49.3%	30	67.0	28.0	73.0	43.0	59.0	22.0					36.2	$13,493
Mesa Valley Community School	Public, Charter	6-12	609 25 Road	Grand Junction	81505	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	Yes	No	No	No	(970) 254-7202	170	10	16.7		121 (71.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (16.5%)	3 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (10.6%)	81.8	53^rd of 349 public high schools	84.8%		80.5	63^rd of 349 public high schools	81.9%	10	90.0	40.0	88.0	64.0	65.0		50.0	50.0	50.0	36.0		$10,308
Fruita Monument High School	Public	10-12	1102 Wildcat Ave	Fruita	81521	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6600	1,273	67	19.0	29.5%	1,033 (81.1%)	5 (0.4%)	165 (13.0%)	17 (1.3%)	7 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	45 (3.5%)	64.8	116^th of 349 public high schools	66.8%		59.8	130^th of 349 public high schools	62.8%	14	76.0	35.0			69.0	33.0					47.8	$14,379

Palisade High School

Palisade High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51:

What do you think?

Rank History for Palisade High School

Rank History for all students at Palisade High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Palisade High School

Rank History for Female students at Palisade High School

Rank History for Disabled students at Palisade High School

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Palisade High School

Rank History for Male students at Palisade High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Palisade High School

Rank History for White students at Palisade High School

Enrollment information for Palisade High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Palisade High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Palisade High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Palisade High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Palisade High School

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near Palisade High School