Public schools in Durango, CO
14 open public schools with an address in Durango, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
14
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
4,820
14 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.1:1
Colorado median 15.4:1
Charter schools
3
1 virtual
An overview of Durango public schools
The federal directory lists 14 public schools in Durango, CO: 8 elementary, 2 middle, 4 high. The 14 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 4,820 students, an average of 344 per school. The largest campus is Durango High School (1,352 students), and the largest elementary school is Park Elementary School (452).
Durango School District No. 9-R operates the most schools here (11), plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 12.1:1, lower than the statewide school median of 15.4:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 3 charter schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 4 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 37% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Durango
Elementary schools in Durango
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animas Valley Elementary School Durango School District No. 9-R | PK–05 | 185 | 10.2:1 | |
| Florida Mesa Elementary School Durango School District No. 9-R | PK–05 | 293 | 10.4:1 | |
| Mountain Middle School State Charter School Institute · Charter | KG–08 | 302 | 18.8:1 | |
| Needham Elementary School Durango School District No. 9-R | PK–05 | 367 | 11.6:1 | |
| Park Elementary School Durango School District No. 9-R | PK–05 | 452 | 12.7:1 | |
| Riverview Elementary School Durango School District No. 9-R | PK–05 | 374 | 12.1:1 | |
| Sunnyside Elementary School Durango School District No. 9-R | PK–05 | 107 | 9.8:1 | |
| The Juniper School Durango School District No. 9-R · Charter | KG–08 | 171 | 14.5:1 |
Middle schools in Durango
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escalante Middle School Durango School District No. 9-R | 06–08 | 461 | 13.1:1 | |
| Miller Middle School Durango School District No. 9-R | 06–08 | 360 | 12:1 |
High schools in Durango
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animas High School State Charter School Institute · Charter | 09–12 | 249 | 10.9:1 | |
| Durango Big Picture High School Durango School District No. 9-R · Alternative School | 09–12 | 99 | 8.9:1 | |
| Durango High School Durango School District No. 9-R | 09–12 | 1,352 | 16.1:1 | |
| Southwest Colorado eSchool San Juan BOCES · Virtual | 06–12 | 48 | 29.4:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White67.6%
- Hispanic20.8%
- Black0.7%
- Asian0.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native5.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial4.9%
Enrollment-weighted across 14 Durango schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (4,820 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Durango
How many public schools are in Durango, CO?
The current NCES directory lists 14 open public schools with a location address in Durango: 8 elementary, 2 middle, 4 high. Together they reported 4,820 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Durango?
Schools with an address in Durango belong to 3 education agencies, led by Durango School District No. 9-R (11 schools), State Charter School Institute (2 schools), San Juan BOCES (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Durango?
Durango High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Durango, with 1,352 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Durango?
Yes. 3 of the 14 public schools in Durango are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Animas High School, Mountain Middle School, The Juniper School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Durango schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Durango public schools is 12.1:1, lower than the Colorado school median of 15.4:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Durango guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Colorado cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Colorado cities