Is Mount Garfield Middle School a good school?

Mount Garfield Middle School ranks 333 rd of 485 Colorado middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Mount Garfield Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 581 students attended Mount Garfield Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Mount Garfield Middle School?

Students at Mount Garfield Middle School are 66% White, 31% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Mount Garfield Middle School attend?

Students who attend Mount Garfield Middle School usually go on to attend Palisade High School

Mount Garfield Middle School

Summary:

Mount Garfield Middle School is a public middle school in Clifton, Colorado, serving 581 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51, which is ranked 52 out of 116 school districts in the state.

While Mount Garfield Middle School has a higher percentage of Hispanic students (30.64%) compared to nearby schools like Fruita Middle School (9.48%) and Redlands Middle School (25.16%), it also has a significantly higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (64.37%) than the surrounding schools. This suggests the school serves a population with significant socioeconomic challenges, which may impact academic performance.

Indeed, Mount Garfield Middle School consistently underperforms the nearby schools and the state averages on CMAS (Colorado Measures of Academic Success) tests, with proficiency rates of 34.1% in English Language Arts, 17% in Math, and 24.6% in Science, compared to state averages of 44.1%, 34.2%, and 32.2%, respectively. The school has also declined in its overall ranking, from 244 out of 369 Colorado middle schools in 2020-2021 to 333 out of 485 in 2023-2024, with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. In contrast, Redlands Middle School ranked 76 out of 485 schools and received a 4-star rating, indicating there may be opportunities for Mount Garfield to learn from its higher-performing counterparts.

Detail:

Public 6-8

3475 Front Street
Clifton, CO 81520-8405

(970) 254-4720

District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

SchoolDigger Rank:
333^rd of 485 Colorado Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,054

Students who attend Mount Garfield Middle School usually attend:

High:

Palisade High School

Feeder schools for Mount Garfield Middle School:

Elementary:	Rocky Mountain Elementary School
	Taylor Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.2

Number of students: 581

Racial breakdown:

White:

66.4%

Hispanic:

30.6%

Two or more races:

2.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 64.4%

See top rated Colorado middle schools

Compare Mount Garfield Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Mount Garfield Middle School ranks worse than 68.7% of middle schools in Colorado. It also ranks 5^th among 7 ranked middle schools in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.7. (See more...)

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

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 Mount Garfield Middle School has the largest middle 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 Mount Garfield Middle School is $14,054, which is the lowest among 7 middle schools in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mount Garfield Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mount Garfield Middle School 333^rd of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Mount Garfield Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male 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.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Mount Garfield Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Mount Garfield Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CO State Percentile
2004	33.51	238^th	336	29.2%
2005	37.03	236^th	340	30.6%
2006	28.15	266^th	346	23.1%
2007	28.84	281^st	360	21.9%
2008	20.45	308^th	362	14.9%
2009	23.71	305^th	377	19.1%
2010	21.78	338^th	409	17.4%
2011	18.88	357^th	422	15.4%
2012	16.88	365^th	425	14.1%
2013	18.46	385^th	454	15.2%
2014	24.12	365^th	461	20.8%
2015	19.20	366^th	436	16.1%
2016	16.03	348^th	400	13.0%
2017	13.67	379^th	424	10.6%
2018	9.48	398^th	418	4.8%
2019	11.19	418^th	458	8.7%
2021	33.46	244^th	369	33.9%
2022	31.42	291^st	448	35.0%
2023	26.13	332^nd	480	30.8%
2024	26.70	333^rd	485	31.3%

See the entire list of Colorado Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mount Garfield Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	11.08	217^th	222	2.3%
2019	15.15	227^th	240	5.4%
2021	48.48	50^th	114	56.1%
2022	49.00	78^th	197	60.4%
2023	34.83	150^th	241	37.8%
2024	38.41	145^th	244	40.6%

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

Rank History for Female students at Mount Garfield Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	7.64	303^rd	315	3.8%
2019	8.91	328^th	352	6.8%
2021	29.61	179^th	254	29.5%
2022	30.35	214^th	326	34.4%
2023	21.43	272^nd	363	25.1%
2024	25.49	246^th	350	29.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Mount Garfield Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	7.73	308^th	317	2.8%
2019	10.81	321^st	343	6.4%
2021	27.63	182^nd	249	26.9%
2022	24.56	233^rd	328	29.0%
2023	24.28	250^th	356	29.8%
2024	20.57	276^th	357	22.7%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mount Garfield Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	29.03	65^th	83	21.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Mount Garfield Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CO State Percentile
2018	2.77	198^th	199	0.5%
2019	3.53	282^nd	283	0.4%
2021	21.77	161^st	203	20.7%
2022	14.32	230^th	265	13.2%
2023	11.64	260^th	286	9.1%
2024	13.01	241^st	273	11.7%

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.

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Mount Garfield Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	674	3	5	66	2	n/a	n/a	750
1989	673	3	4	76	2	n/a	n/a	758
1990	709	4	2	76	3	n/a	n/a	794
1991	769	3	4	85	3	n/a	n/a	864
1992	813	3	4	70	2	n/a	n/a	892
1993	862	1	5	78	3	n/a	n/a	949
1994	891	5	7	95	6	n/a	n/a	1004
1995	897	8	4	114	6	n/a	n/a	1029
1996	897	8	4	114	6	n/a	n/a	1029
1997	904	12	4	120	9	n/a	n/a	1049
1998	890	10	7	127	10	n/a	n/a	1044
1999	561	9	4	65	7	n/a	n/a	646
2000	537	6	5	77	10	n/a	n/a	635
2001	495	7	4	71	7	n/a	n/a	584
2002	519	9	3	107	7	n/a	n/a	645
2003	519	9	3	107	7	n/a	n/a	645
2004	511	8	3	109	7	n/a	n/a	638
2005	521	7	3	128	8	n/a	n/a	667
2006	516	11	3	128	8	n/a	n/a	666
2007	483	10	4	158	6	n/a	n/a	661
2008	474	16	3	147	13	n/a	n/a	653
2009	464	16	4	163	18	n/a	n/a	665
2010	440	15	4	168	19	n/a	n/a	646
2011	438	7	2	169	7	1	11	635
2012	423	7	0	169	7	0	12	618
2013	402	7	0	164	7	0	14	594
2014	393	3	1	153	3	0	15	568
2015	395	4	1	182	5	1	14	602
2016	390	4	1	199	5	2	16	617
2017	378	4	1	227	3	0	26	639
2018	385	2	1	236	6	0	27	657
2019	400	4	1	240	7	0	24	676
2020	401	1	0	208	4	0	27	641
2021	374	3	0	193	5	0	17	592
2022	380	2	0	162	5	0	16	565
2023	386	2	0	178	0	1	14	581

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 Mount Garfield Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	750	44.0	17.0	n/a
1989	758	43.9	17.2	30.1
1990	794	43.8	18.1	29.1
1991	864	47.4	18.2	28
1992	892	50.1	17.8	26.2
1993	949	54.7	17.3	30.2
1994	1004	59.3	16.9	34
1995	1029	56.3	18.3	51.2
1996	1029	56.3	18.3	51.2
1997	1049	59.2	17.7	51.4
1998	1044	61.4	17.0	39.9
1999	646	38.4	16.8	39.5
2000	635	38.5	16.5	52
2001	584	37.8	15.4	52.9
2002	645	38.5	16.8	59.4
2003	645	38.5	16.8	59.4
2004	638	38.8	16.4	60.8
2005	667	38.7	17.2	60
2006	666	39.7	16.8	59.6
2007	661	39.2	16.9	52.2
2008	653	42.5	15.4	57.1
2009	665	41.9	15.9	59.5
2010	646	41.1	15.7	65.5
2011	635	43.6	14.5	67.1
2012	618	41.5	14.8	67.8
2013	594	42.5	13.9	66.7
2014	568	41.2	13.7	63.7
2015	602	41.0	14.6	65.3
2016	617	40.0	15.4	75.5
2017	639	41.0	15.5	74.3
2018	657	41.0	15.9	70.2
2019	676	39.6	17.0	74.6
2020	641	41.0	15.5	66.8
2021	592	40.1	14.7	71.8
2022	565	35.1	16.0	70.8
2023	581	35.7	16.2	64.4

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 Mount Garfield Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	750	44.0	17.0	n/a
1989	758	43.9	17.2	30.1
1990	794	43.8	18.1	29.1
1991	864	47.4	18.2	28
1992	892	50.1	17.8	26.2
1993	949	54.7	17.3	30.2
1994	1004	59.3	16.9	34
1995	1029	56.3	18.3	51.2
1996	1029	56.3	18.3	51.2
1997	1049	59.2	17.7	51.4
1998	1044	61.4	17.0	39.9
1999	646	38.4	16.8	39.5
2000	635	38.5	16.5	52
2001	584	37.8	15.4	52.9
2002	645	38.5	16.8	59.4
2003	645	38.5	16.8	59.4
2004	638	38.8	16.4	60.8
2005	667	38.7	17.2	60
2006	666	39.7	16.8	59.6
2007	661	39.2	16.9	52.2
2008	653	42.5	15.4	57.1
2009	665	41.9	15.9	59.5
2010	646	41.1	15.7	65.5
2011	635	43.6	14.5	67.1
2012	618	41.5	14.8	67.8
2013	594	42.5	13.9	66.7
2014	568	41.2	13.7	63.7
2015	602	41.0	14.6	65.3
2016	617	40.0	15.4	75.5
2017	639	41.0	15.5	74.3
2018	657	41.0	15.9	70.2
2019	676	39.6	17.0	74.6
2020	641	41.0	15.5	66.8
2021	592	40.1	14.7	71.8
2022	565	35.1	16.0	70.8
2023	581	35.7	16.2	64.4

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 Mount Garfield Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$10,898
2020	$13,547
2021	$12,563
2022	$13,359
2023	$14,054

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mount Garfield 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 418^th of 458 Middle schools	Ranks 332^nd of 480 Middle schools	22.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Mount Garfield Middle School)	20.5	24.9	4.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	32.8	36.2	3.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	43.6	43.4	0.2%
6th Grade Math (Mount Garfield Middle School)	12.1	13.5	1.4%
6th Grade Math (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	21.5	22.8	1.3%
6th Grade Math (Colorado)	29.5	28.2	1.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Mount Garfield Middle School)	18.3	38.3	20%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	32.7	38.3	5.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	46.5	45	1.5%
7th Grade Math (Mount Garfield Middle School)	11.7	10.4	1.3%
7th Grade Math (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	21.1	19.6	1.5%
7th Grade Math (Colorado)	31.6	26.3	5.3%
8th Grade Science (Mount Garfield Middle School)	12.3	19.2	6.9%
8th Grade Science (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	22.1	26.5	4.4%
8th Grade Science (Colorado)	31.5	31.3	0.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Mount Garfield Middle School)	21.5	40	18.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	34.6	36.6	2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	46.9	42.4	4.5%
8th Grade Math (Mount Garfield Middle School)	14.4	20.9	6.5%
8th Grade Math (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	25.6	28.1	2.5%
8th Grade Math (Colorado)	36.9	32.7	4.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Mount Garfield Middle School)	20.1	34.4	14.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	36	39.2	3.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)	45.8	43.7	2.1%
All Grades Math (Mount Garfield Middle School)	12.7	15	2.3%
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	676	581	14.1%
African American	4	2	50%
American Indian	7	0	100%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	240	178	25.8%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	400	386	3.5%
Two or More Races	24	14	41.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	74.6%	64.4%	10.2%

Schools Near Mount Garfield Middle 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 6th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 6th Grade	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 8th Grade	Total
Mount Garfield Middle School	Public	6-8	3475 Front Street	Clifton	81520	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-4720	581	36	16.2	64.4%	386 (66.4%)	2 (0.3%)	178 (30.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (2.4%)	26.7	333^rd of 485 public middle schools	31.3%		26.1	332^nd of 480 public middle schools	30.8%	1	30.1	33.7	38.1	34.1	19.8	12.9	18.2	17.0	24.6	$14,054
Grand Mesa Middle School	Public	6-8	585 31-1/2 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6270	511	37	13.7	59.3%	286 (56.0%)	4 (0.8%)	197 (38.6%)	9 (1.8%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.5%)	12.8	432^nd of 485 public middle schools	10.9%		14.3	410^th of 480 public middle schools	14.6%	22	25.1	19.0	14.3	20.3	13.6	5.9	12.5	10.8	12.7	$14,845
Bookcliff Middle School	Public	6-8	2935 Orchard Ave	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6220	449	34	13.3	59.2%	213 (47.4%)	2 (0.4%)	219 (48.8%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.9%)	16.4	396^th of 485 public middle schools	18.4%		22.8	356^th of 480 public middle schools	25.8%	40	21.4	27.6	28.3	26.1	9.8	10.1	14.4	11.6	16.0	$16,760
Orchard Mesa Middle School	Public	6-8	2736 C Road	Grand Junction	81503	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6320	465	28	16.5	56.8%	327 (70.3%)	4 (0.9%)	117 (25.2%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.8%)	52.3	197^th of 485 public middle schools	59.4%		23.4	348^th of 480 public middle schools	27.5%	151	45.9	46.4	47.2	46.5	32.6	28.0	36.5	32.3	37.2	$14,486
West Middle School	Public	6-8	123 W Orchard Ave	Grand Junction	81505	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-5090	316	21	14.9	33.9%	222 (70.3%)	6 (1.9%)	65 (20.6%)	3 (0.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.7%)	36.4	270^th of 485 public middle schools	44.3%		42.9	243^rd of 480 public middle schools	49.4%	27	37.4	47.3	40.1	41.3	13.4	26.7	26.4	22.1	25.3	$15,285
Redlands Middle School	Public	6-8	2200 Broadway	Grand Junction	81507	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-7000	538	32	16.6	16.9%	462 (85.9%)	2 (0.4%)	51 (9.5%)	4 (0.7%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.0%)	79.7	76^th of 485 public middle schools	84.3%		80.5	81^st of 480 public middle schools	83.1%	5	67.0	53.6	60.2	60.9	59.5	41.0	55.2	52.6	45.9	$14,463
Fruita Middle School	Public	6-7	239 N Maple	Fruita	81521	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-6570	496	34	14.7	32.5%	397 (80.0%)	1 (0.2%)	72 (14.5%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (4.0%)	40.8	243^rd of 485 public middle schools	49.9%		36.1	286^th of 480 public middle schools	40.4%	43	34.6	46.7		40.5	22.5	30.8		26.6		$14,089

Mount Garfield Middle School

Mount Garfield Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Mount Garfield Middle School

Rank History for all students at Mount Garfield Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mount Garfield Middle School

Rank History for Female students at Mount Garfield Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Mount Garfield Middle School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mount Garfield Middle School

Rank History for White students at Mount Garfield Middle School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Mount Garfield Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Mount Garfield Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Mount Garfield Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Mount Garfield Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Mount Garfield Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Mount Garfield Middle School