Custer Middle School

Located at 709 MAIN STREET, in WESTCLIFFE, Colorado, Custer Middle School is an one-room-style middle-grades school that caters to 69 students (grades 6 through 8), part of Custer County School District Consolidate 1. Compared to the state average of about 462 students per school, that is 85% below typical.

Custer County School District Consolidate 1 runs 3 schools in total, collectively educating 313 students. Custer Middle School is one of those campuses.

In terms of who attends, Custer Middle School reports that the largest single group is White, at 78% of enrollment; the rest is composed of 16% Hispanic, 3% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 91% White, putting the school's mix noticeably less White than the area baseline.

On the resource side, On paper, Custer Middle School has 7 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 10.3:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.9:1, putting Custer Middle School tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 54% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Custer Middle School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 34.2% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 27.9%.

Zooming out to the county, the surrounding county (Custer County) records that median household income runs about $72,674, roughly 44% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 8%. Across Custer County's 3 public schools (combined enrollment of about 313 students), Custer Middle School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Custer County High School, around 0.0 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around Custer Middle School. On composite proficiency, Custer Middle School comes 5th of 9 in the immediate cluster, behind the nearby-schools average of 28.9%.

Geographically, the school is in a small-town area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 3%: 71 students in 2018 compared to 69 in 2025. The White share of enrollment decreased from 93% to 78% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 12.8:1 in 2018 to 10.3:1 today.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.