Enrollment
383
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Buena Vista, CO
Avery/Parsons Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Avery/Parsons Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080264000159
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Avery/Parsons Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Buena Vista · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 22.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Avery/Parsons Elementary School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Avery/Parsons Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Buena Vista, CO.
School address
District: Buena Vista School District No. R-31 · Colorado
NCES ID 080264000159 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.1%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Avery/Parsons Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Avery/Parsons Elementary School
Avery/Parsons Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Buena Vista, Colorado, enrolling 383 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 383 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 386 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #299, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 372 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Buena Vista School District No. R-31 also operates Buena Vista High School (256 students) and Buena Vista Middle School (211 students) alongside Avery/Parsons Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Avery/Parsons Elementary School compares
Avery/Parsons Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.2:1 | ▼ 14% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.1% | ▼ 43% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 383 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
383
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% below the Colorado average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 34% in Colorado - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
34.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,814
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 372 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
43
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 78.9%
Hispanic or Latino 15.4%
Two or More 3.4%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: White at 78.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.2, Avery/Parsons Elementary School is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Buena Vista School District No. R-31, which includes Avery/Parsons Elementary School.
$13,814
Per student
-15%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.3%
State 21.8%
Federal 9.8%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Avery/Parsons Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Vista High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Buena Vista Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| The Grove Bvsd's Early Learning Program | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chaffee County High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Avery/Parsons Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 256
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 211
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 60
- Students per teacher
- 60:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 15
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Colorado, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~383 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Avery/Parsons Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Avery/Parsons Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Buena Vista School District No. R-31's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Avery/Parsons Elementary School
How many students attend Avery/Parsons Elementary School?
Avery/Parsons Elementary School has 383 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Buena Vista, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Avery/Parsons Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Avery/Parsons Elementary School is 14.2:1, which is 14% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Avery/Parsons Elementary School?
22.1% of students at Avery/Parsons Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Avery/Parsons Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Avery/Parsons Elementary School is White at 78.9% of enrollment, in Buena Vista, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Avery/Parsons Elementary School?
Avery/Parsons Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Avery/Parsons Elementary School rank among public schools in Buena Vista?
By Resource Investment Index, Avery/Parsons Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Buena Vista, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Buena Vista on the city page.
Is Avery/Parsons Elementary School a good school?
Avery/Parsons Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Buena Vista School District No. R-31?
Besides Avery/Parsons Elementary School, Buena Vista School District No. R-31 also operates Buena Vista High School (256 students), Buena Vista Middle School (211 students), and The Grove Bvsd's Early Learning Program (60 students). See the Buena Vista School District No. R-31 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.