Poudre School District R-1

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Fort Collins, Colorado - 52 schools

An equity score of 37/100 ranks Poudre School District R-1 #103 of 142 districts in Colorado (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,223 per pupil, Poudre School District R-1 ranks #117 of 180 Colorado districts by per-pupil spending (Colorado districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

29,995
Total Enrollment
52
Schools
$13,223
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Poudre School District R-1 operates 52 public schools serving 29,995 students, placing it among the larger districts in Colorado. The school portfolio breaks down into 32 combined, 8 middle, 7 elementary, 5 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 Larimer County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,223 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 57.5% local, 35.4% state, and 7.1% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 37/100, ranked #103 of 142 in Colorado against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 7 of 52 schools offering Advanced Placement (75 AP courses district-wide), a 358.6:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 33.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 67.8% White, 22.7% Hispanic or Latino, 2.5% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Poudre Community Academy, with a diversity index of 59.8/100.

Its largest campus is Rocky Mountain High School, enrolling 2,044 students (7% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Psd Mountain Schools, at 88 students, a 23x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Poudre School District R-1 school enrollment varies 23× across entities

Poudre School District R-1 school enrollment ranges from 88 students (lowest) to 2,044 students (highest), a spread of 1,956 students. That spread is wider than typical and predicts noticeable gaps in service quality between the highest and lowest areas. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Poudre School District R-1 student-counselor ratio is 359:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Poudre School District R-1 chronic absenteeism rate is 33.6% — 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.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

7.1%
Federal
35.4%
State
57.5%
Local

Funding Equity

37
Equity Score
103 / 142
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 52 schools in Poudre School District R-1.

White 67.8%
Hispanic or Latino 22.7%
African American 1.3%
Asian 2.5%
Multiracial 5.1%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 44.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Poudre School District R-1's schools, below the Colorado average of 47.1.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Poudre Community Academy 59.8
  2. 2 Putnam Elementary School 59.2
  3. 3 Lincoln Middle School 58.7
  4. 4 Zach Elementary School 57.4
  5. 5 Laurel Elementary School 56.8

Programs & Resources

7 / 52
Schools with AP
75 AP courses total
358.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
33.6%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Poudre School District R-1

School Enrollment
Rocky Mountain High School
2,044
Fossil Ridge High School
1,846
Fort Collins High School
1,836
Liberty Common Charter School
Charter
1,516
Timnath Middle-High School
1,456
Poudre High School
1,409
Wellington Middle-High School
1,173
Lesher Middle School
766
Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School
762
Webber Middle School
728
Ridgeview Classical Schools
Charter
721
Eyestone Elementary School
619
Preston Middle School
568
Lincoln Middle School
552
Boltz Middle School
551
Tavelli Elementary School
519
Bethke Elementary School
512
Zach Elementary School
492
Traut Core Elementary School
484
Timnath Elementary School
455
Riffenburgh Elementary School
443
Bauder Elementary School
423
Shepardson Elementary School
414
Laurel Elementary School
412
Kruse Elementary School
406
Polaris Expeditionary Learning School
406
Rice Elementary School
401
O'dea Elementary School
398
Bacon Elementary School
397
Dunn Elementary School
392
Werner Elementary School
374
Irish Elementary School
365
Blevins Middle School
363
Bennett Elementary School
362
Lopez Elementary School
361
Mcgraw Elementary School
349
Johnson Elementary School
348
Harris Bilingual Elementary School
311
Olander Elementary School
310
Bamford Elementary School
310
Linton Elementary School
307
Beattie Elementary School
302
Cache La Poudre Elementary School
281
Cache La Poudre Middle School
280
Fort Collins Montessori School
Charter
278
Mountain Sage Community School
Charter
265
Psd Global Academy
259
Putnam Elementary School
258
Poudre Community Academy
212
Compass Community Collaborative School
Charter
179
Centennial High School
118
Psd Mountain Schools
88

How Poudre School District R-1 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Colorado districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Academy School District No. 20 in the County of El Paso an Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
El Paso County Colorado School District 49 Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Adams 12 Five Star Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Poudre School District R-1's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Colorado

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Poudre School District R-1

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Poudre School District R-1?

Poudre School District R-1 has 52 schools, including 5 high, 32 combined, 8 middle, 7 elementary. Total enrollment is 29,995 students.

How much does Poudre School District R-1 spend per student?

Poudre School District R-1 spends $13,223 per student. The district has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #103 in Colorado.

What is the demographic composition of Poudre School District R-1?

Poudre School District R-1 students are 67.8% White, 22.7% Hispanic or Latino, 2.5% Asian, 1.3% African American, averaged across 52 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Poudre School District R-1?

Poudre School District R-1 has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #103 out of 142 districts in Colorado.