Education & Early Childhood Care of the Southwest Colorado Index provides an update on the statues region’s education and early childhood care.

The index takes a comprehensive look at specific topics to measure the overall economic, social and environmental health of communities in Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma and San Juan counties.

A web based format has been chosen over a printed report and is available at www.scan.org and http://bit.ly/2djjBL7.

Pupil-to-teacher ratios show that every school district in the region is now lower than the state ratio of 17.5.Expulsion rates are generally decreasing in the region, with the most progress noted in the Cortez RE-1 School District.Graduation rates in all districts, with the exception of the Dolores RE-4A School District, met or exceeded the state average for graduation rates in 2014.Drop-out rates are decreasing across the region with the exception of Dolores RE-4A, Dolores County RE No. 2 School District and Durango School District 9-R.In 2016, Bayfield, Durango and Mancos school districts met or exceeded the state ACT score average.