Salida Middle School

As an intimate 6-8 campus in SALIDA, Colorado, Salida Middle School hosts 327 students from grades 5 through 8, part of Salida School District No. R-32. That puts it 29% smaller than the typical public school in Colorado, which averages around 462 students.

Within Salida School District No. R-32, which oversees 6 schools and 1,351 students, Salida Middle School is one campus in the system.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Salida Middle School lists that White students make up the majority at 76%. Other groups include 18% Hispanic, 6% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 87% White, putting the school's mix considerably less White than the area baseline.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Salida Middle School records 26 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 12.6:1. The state averages around 15.9:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 46% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Chaffee County runs at roughly 37%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Salida Middle School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 38.5% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 51.5%.

In the surrounding community, Chaffee County reports that median household income runs about $84,132, 47% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 5%. Salida Middle School is one of 12 public schools in Chaffee County (combined enrollment of about 2,462 students).

Nearest neighbor: Salida Early Childhood Center, around 0.1 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 6 other public schools cluster around Salida Middle School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Salida Middle School at 3rd of 5; the average score across the group is 49.5%.

The school occupies a town-based site.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Salida Middle School has edged down 5%, going from 344 students in 2018 to 327 in 2025. Class-load math has pulled in: from 14.1:1 in 2018 to 12.6:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.