Enrollment
385
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sterling, CO
Ayres Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Ayres Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080669006339
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ayres Elementary School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Colorado schools.
- #5 of 5
- public schools in Sterling · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.4:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 46.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Ayres Elementary School has class sizes larger than 91% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ayres Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Sterling, CO.
School address
District: School District No. Re-1 Valley · Colorado
NCES ID 080669006339 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.4:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.1%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ayres Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ayres Elementary School
Ayres Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Sterling, Colorado, enrolling 385 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.4:1 is larger than about 91% of Colorado schools and 29% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 46.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 385 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 297 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #290, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 50/100).
The surrounding School District No. Re-1 Valley spends $11,139 per pupil, 32% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
School District No. Re-1 Valley also operates Sterling High School (421 students) and Sterling Middle School (397 students) alongside Ayres 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 Ayres Elementary School compares
Ayres 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 | 21.4:1 | ▲ 29% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.1% | ▲ 20% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 385 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
385
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% above the Colorado average of 38.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 91% in Colorado - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Funding equity
$11,139
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 63.1%
Hispanic or Latino 31.4%
Two or More 4.2%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 63.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.1, Ayres Elementary School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School District No. Re-1 Valley, which includes Ayres Elementary School.
$11,139
Per student
-32%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.0%
State 48.6%
Federal 10.4%
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 Ayres Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sterling Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Campbell Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Caliche Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hagen Early Education Center | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Ayres Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 421
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 397
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 347
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 139
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 117
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
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 (~385 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ayres Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Ayres Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- School District No. Re-1 Valley'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 Ayres Elementary School
How many students attend Ayres Elementary School?
Ayres Elementary School has 385 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sterling, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ayres Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ayres Elementary School is 21.4:1, which is 29% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ayres Elementary School?
46.1% of students at Ayres Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ayres Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Ayres Elementary School is White at 63.1% of enrollment, in Sterling, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ayres Elementary School?
Ayres Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Ayres Elementary School rank among public schools in Sterling?
By Resource Investment Index, Ayres Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Sterling, 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 Sterling on the city page.
Is Ayres Elementary School a good school?
Ayres Elementary School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Colorado schools. 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 School District No. Re-1 Valley?
Besides Ayres Elementary School, School District No. Re-1 Valley also operates Sterling High School (421 students), Sterling Middle School (397 students), and Campbell Elementary School (347 students). See the School District No. Re-1 Valley 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.