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Sterling Middle School

Summary:

Sterling Middle School is a public middle school in Sterling, Colorado, serving 399 students in grades 6-8. The school's academic performance, as measured by state test scores, is significantly below the state averages across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 22.3% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 44.1%, and only 16.9% were proficient or better in Math, compared to the state average of 34.2%. This persistent academic challenge is a concern for the school community.

One key factor that may contribute to the school's academic struggles is the high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low socioeconomic status. In the 2022-2023 school year, 59.4% of students at Sterling Middle School were eligible for this assistance, which is significantly higher than the state average. Research has shown that students from low-income families often face additional barriers to academic success, such as limited access to educational resources and higher levels of stress.

Another notable finding is the school's declining statewide ranking, which has dropped from 140th out of 424 Colorado middle schools in 2016-2017 to 334th out of 485 in 2023-2024. This downward trend suggests that Sterling Middle School is not keeping pace with the academic performance of other middle schools in the state. Addressing the school's academic challenges will require a comprehensive approach that considers the socioeconomic and demographic factors impacting student learning and achievement.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1177 Pawnee Ave
       Sterling, CO  80751-4902

(970) 522-1041

District: School District No. Re-1 Valley

SchoolDigger Rank:
334th of 485 Colorado Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,708 Help


Students who attend Sterling Middle School usually attend:

High:    Sterling High School

Feeder schools for Sterling Middle School:

Elementary:    Ayres Elementary School
    Campbell Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  18.7 Help
Number of students:  371

Racial breakdown:

White:
64.7%
Hispanic:
29.1%
Two or more races:
2.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  65.8% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Sterling Middle School ranks worse than 68.9% of middle schools in Colorado. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.54. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (64.7%), Hispanic (29.1%), two or more races (2.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 65.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sterling Middle School is 18.7. (See more...)
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Compare Sterling Middle School employs 19.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sterling Middle School is $11,708.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Sterling Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Sterling Middle School 334th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Sterling Middle School in the ranking list.)

School District No. Re-1 Valley:

SchoolDigger ranks School District No. Re-1 Valley 106th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Sterling Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Sterling Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 36.33 231st 336 31.3%
2005 43.44 211th 340 37.9%
2006 41.33 219th 346 36.7%
2007 44.69 216th 360 40.0%
2008 45.44 216th 362 40.3%
2009 42.02 239th 377 36.6%
2010 47.51 229th 409 44.0%
2011 38.66 279th 422 33.9%
2012 46.99 238th 425 44.0%
2013 47.68 250th 454 44.9%
2014 51.13 223rd 461 51.6%
2015 27.60 319th 436 26.8%
2016 35.45 249th 400 37.8%
2017 58.89 140th 424 67.0%
2018 56.08 158th 418 62.2%
2019 51.55 198th 458 56.8%
2021 37.97 220th 369 40.4%
2024 26.54 334th 485 31.1%
See the entire list of Colorado Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Sterling Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 52.93 158th 352 55.1%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for White students at Sterling Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 41.60 165th 283 41.7%
2021 20.58 167th 203 17.7%
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.

Sterling Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Colorado Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Sterling 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 481 1 2 65 0 n/a n/a 0 549
1989 502 1 1 63 0 n/a n/a 0 567
1990 480 3 3 72 0 n/a n/a 0 558
1991 468 4 2 75 2 n/a n/a 0 551
1992 460 3 1 73 2 n/a n/a 0 539
1993 509 3 0 78 1 n/a n/a 0 591
1994 547 3 1 86 1 n/a n/a 0 638
1995 539 1 2 96 0 n/a n/a 0 638
1996 539 1 2 96 0 n/a n/a 0 638
1997 555 0 1 104 0 n/a n/a 0 660
1998 518 3 1 102 0 n/a n/a 0 624
1999 473 4 1 102 1 n/a n/a 0 581
2000 424 3 7 116 11 n/a n/a 0 561
2001 433 6 3 122 8 n/a n/a 0 572
2002 470 3 1 85 0 n/a n/a 0 559
2003 470 3 1 85 0 n/a n/a 0 559
2004 441 5 4 98 4 n/a n/a 0 552
2005 447 6 3 83 7 n/a n/a 0 546
2006 414 13 1 93 9 n/a n/a 0 530
2007 389 8 3 86 10 n/a n/a 0 496
2008 369 9 4 110 11 n/a n/a 0 503
2009 367 2 5 96 8 n/a n/a 0 478
2010 359 4 5 105 2 n/a n/a 0 475
2011 332 4 1 135 4 1 13 0 490
2012 296 6 3 122 3 0 14 0 444
2013 289 3 4 116 5 0 12 0 429
2014 278 2 3 114 7 0 12 0 416
2015 283 0 3 117 8 1 10 0 422
2016 288 3 2 105 6 1 12 0 417
2017 297 3 0 115 6 0 12 0 433
2018 288 3 1 110 1 1 14 0 418
2019 295 4 1 117 1 0 16 0 434
2020 295 8 1 123 2 0 13 0 442
2021 275 9 2 133 1 0 11 0 431
2022 243 13 3 135 0 2 10 0 406
2023 246 10 3 127 2 2 9 0 399
2024 240 7 3 108 3 2 8 0 371

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 Sterling Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 549 32.3 16.9 n/a
1989 567 33.7 16.8 24.3
1990 558 33.3 16.7 22.8
1991 551 33.1 16.6 25.6
1992 539 31.9 16.8 26.7
1993 591 32.9 18.0 30.3
1994 638 32.2 19.8 30.7
1995 638 33.2 19.2 27
1996 638 33.2 19.2 27
1997 660 34.0 19.4 24.5
1998 624 35.0 17.8 24.8
1999 581 34.4 16.9 24.6
2000 561 31.5 17.8 39.4
2001 572 32.0 17.9 39.9
2002 559 37.0 15.1 34.5
2003 559 37.0 15.1 34.5
2004 552 35.0 15.8 41.3
2005 546 36.4 15.0 41.2
2006 530 33.2 16.0 42.8
2007 496 33.0 15.0 39.7
2008 503 32.5 15.5 45.1
2009 478 32.5 14.7 47.7
2010 475 31.4 15.0 51.2
2011 490 31.7 15.4 49
2012 444 32.3 13.7 51.8
2013 429 29.4 14.5 52.9
2014 416 30.2 13.7 57
2015 422 29.0 14.5 46.9
2016 417 31.0 13.4 53.5
2017 433 29.5 14.6 55.2
2018 418 29.1 14.3 56
2019 434 29.8 14.5 58.3
2020 442 28.5 15.4 53.4
2021 431 31.7 13.5 51.7
2022 406 22.5 17.9 60.8
2023 399 17.2 23.1 59.4
2024 371 19.8 18.7 65.8

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 Sterling Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 549 32.3 16.9 n/a
1989 567 33.7 16.8 24.3
1990 558 33.3 16.7 22.8
1991 551 33.1 16.6 25.6
1992 539 31.9 16.8 26.7
1993 591 32.9 18.0 30.3
1994 638 32.2 19.8 30.7
1995 638 33.2 19.2 27
1996 638 33.2 19.2 27
1997 660 34.0 19.4 24.5
1998 624 35.0 17.8 24.8
1999 581 34.4 16.9 24.6
2000 561 31.5 17.8 39.4
2001 572 32.0 17.9 39.9
2002 559 37.0 15.1 34.5
2003 559 37.0 15.1 34.5
2004 552 35.0 15.8 41.3
2005 546 36.4 15.0 41.2
2006 530 33.2 16.0 42.8
2007 496 33.0 15.0 39.7
2008 503 32.5 15.5 45.1
2009 478 32.5 14.7 47.7
2010 475 31.4 15.0 51.2
2011 490 31.7 15.4 49
2012 444 32.3 13.7 51.8
2013 429 29.4 14.5 52.9
2014 416 30.2 13.7 57
2015 422 29.0 14.5 46.9
2016 417 31.0 13.4 53.5
2017 433 29.5 14.6 55.2
2018 418 29.1 14.3 56
2019 434 29.8 14.5 58.3
2020 442 28.5 15.4 53.4
2021 431 31.7 13.5 51.7
2022 406 22.5 17.9 60.8
2023 399 17.2 23.1 59.4
2024 371 19.8 18.7 65.8

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 Sterling Middle School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $9,191
2020 $9,311
2021 $11,967
2022 $10,236
2023 $11,708

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sterling 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.

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling Middle School)42.827.2
 15.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (School District No. Re-1 Valley)43.727.1
 16.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)43.643.4
 0.2%
6th Grade Math (Sterling Middle School)30.919
 11.9%
   6th Grade Math (School District No. Re-1 Valley)32.821.4
 11.4%
   6th Grade Math (Colorado)29.528.2
 1.3%
8th Grade Math (Sterling Middle School)41.922.6
 19.3%
   8th Grade Math (School District No. Re-1 Valley)37.623.7
 13.9%
   8th Grade Math (Colorado)36.932.4
 4.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Sterling Middle School)49.925.5
 24.4%
   All Grades English Language Arts (School District No. Re-1 Valley)42.127.4
 14.7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)45.843.7
 2.1%
All Grades Math (Sterling Middle School)35.118
 17.1%
   All Grades Math (School District No. Re-1 Valley)32.120.8
 11.3%
   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 Students434399
 8.1%
African American410
 150%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian13
 200%
Hispanic117127
 8.5%
Pacific Islander02
White295246
 16.6%
Two or More Races169
 43.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients58.3%59.4%
 1.1%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Sterling Middle School

Sterling Middle School ranks 334th of 485 Colorado middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Sterling Middle School are 65% White, 29% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 2% African American.

Students who attend Sterling Middle School usually go on to attend Sterling High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 371 students attended Sterling Middle School.


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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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