Florida Mesa Elementary School

278 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

Florida Mesa Elementary School, located at 216 Highway 172 in Durango, Colorado, is a public school serving students in the rural and suburban regions of La Plata County. As part of the Durango School District 9-R, the school provides a foundational educational experience for students in grades K-5. The facility is situated in a semi-rural setting, reflecting the close-knit, community-oriented nature of the surrounding Florida Mesa area, which often emphasizes a blend of academic rigor and outdoor engagement.

The school is known for its focus on creating a supportive learning environment that promotes student growth, social-emotional development, and core literacy and mathematical proficiency. Because it is located just outside the main Durango city center, Florida Mesa often prides itself on a smaller, community-focused campus culture where teachers, staff, and families work collaboratively. The school emphasizes character development alongside standard state-mandated curriculum, aiming to prepare its students for a successful transition into middle school within the district.

278

Total Students

24.3

Full-Time Teachers

11.4

Student/Teacher Ratio

55.4%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Florida Mesa Elementary School
Demographic	Student Count
White	166
Hispanic	73
Asian	4
Two or More	13
American Indian	22

White
166 (59.7 %)
Hispanic
73 (26.3 %)
American Indian
22 (7.9 %)
Two or More
13 (4.7 %)
Asian
4 (1.4 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Durango School District No. 9-R
Phone:	(970)247-4250
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	278
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	24.3
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	11.4
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	144
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	10

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 15

Kindergarten 37

Grade 1 46

Grade 2 36

Grade 3 55

Grade 4 40

Grade 5 49