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Thornton, Colorado - 55 schools
An equity score of 43/100 ranks Adams 12 Five Star Schools #90 of 142 districts in Colorado (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $13,222 per pupil, Adams 12 Five Star Schools ranks #118 of 180 Colorado districts by per-pupil spending (Colorado districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
35,747
Total Enrollment
55
Schools
$13,222
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Adams 12 Five Star Schools operates 55 public schools serving 35,747 students, placing it among the larger districts in Colorado. The school portfolio breaks down into 25 combined, 17 elementary, 7 middle, 6 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage across a sizeable portfolio before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Adams County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,222 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 180 Colorado districts by per-pupil spending. See how Colorado compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 45.4% local, 44.8% state, and 9.8% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 43/100, ranked #90 of 142 in Colorado against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 7 of 55 schools offering Advanced Placement (115 AP courses district-wide), a 283.8:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 39.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 50.3% Hispanic or Latino, 36.1% White, 6.5% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Stargate Charter School, with a diversity index of 66.0/100.
Its largest campus is Legacy High School, enrolling 2,052 students (6% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Bright Horizons Preschool, at 36 students, a 57x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Adams 12 Five Star Schools school enrollment varies 57× across entities
Adams 12 Five Star Schools school enrollment ranges from 36 students (lowest) to 2,052 students (highest), a spread of 2,016 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Adams 12 Five Star Schools student-counselor ratio is 284:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Adams 12 Five Star Schools is typically wider than the Adams 12 Five Star Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Adams 12 Five Star Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 39.4% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
How many schools are in Adams 12 Five Star Schools?
Adams 12 Five Star Schools has 55 schools, including 6 high, 25 combined, 7 middle, 17 elementary. Total enrollment is 35,747 students.
How much does Adams 12 Five Star Schools spend per student?
Adams 12 Five Star Schools spends $13,222 per student. The district has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #90 in Colorado.
What is the demographic composition of Adams 12 Five Star Schools?
Adams 12 Five Star Schools students are 50.3% Hispanic or Latino, 36.1% White, 6.5% Asian, 1.7% African American, averaged across 55 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Adams 12 Five Star Schools?
Adams 12 Five Star Schools has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #90 out of 142 districts in Colorado.