Enrollment
1,733
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Brighton, CO
Brighton High School
Federal NCES profile for Brighton High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080258000144
👥 S:T ratio 29
📚 AP courses 90
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Brighton High School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in Brighton · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.7:1
- students per teacher
- 30.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Brighton High School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Brighton High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Brighton, CO.
School address
District: School District 27j · Colorado
NCES ID 080258000144 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
98.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.9%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Brighton High School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Brighton High School
Brighton High School is a large high school in Brighton, Colorado, enrolling 1,733 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 30.9% lands close to the Colorado typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Colorado, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,733 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 61 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #52, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (59%) and White (36%) (diversity index 52/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 18 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1733 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding School District 27j spends $10,462 per pupil, 36% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
School District 27j also operates Colorado Connections Academy (2,042 students) and Prairie View High School (1,809 students) alongside Brighton High 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 Brighton High School compares
Brighton High 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 | 17.7:1 | ▲ 7% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.9% | ▼ 20% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,733 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.7:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,733
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
17.7:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 69% in Colorado - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
48.2%
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
$10,462
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 1733 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 122 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
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
Hispanic or Latino 58.9%
White 36.2%
Two or More 2.5%
African American 1.2%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 58.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.1, Brighton High School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 18
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School District 27j, which includes Brighton High School.
$10,462
Per student
-36%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.5%
State 47.7%
Federal 7.8%
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 Brighton High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Connections Academy | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Prairie View High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Riverdale Ridge High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bromley East Charter School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rodger Quist Middle School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Brighton High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,042
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 0/100
- Enrollment
- 1,809
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,784
- Students per teacher
- 29.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,214
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar high 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 (~1,733 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Brighton High School's federal record.
- Compare Brighton High School against another school. Compare schools
- School District 27j'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 Brighton High School
How many students attend Brighton High School?
Brighton High School has 1,733 students enrolled. It is a high school in Brighton, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Brighton High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Brighton High School is 17.7:1, which is 7% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Brighton High School?
30.9% of students at Brighton High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Brighton High School?
The largest demographic group at Brighton High School is Hispanic or Latino at 58.9% of enrollment, in Brighton, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Brighton High School?
Brighton High School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Brighton High School rank among high schools in Brighton?
By Resource Investment Index, Brighton High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Brighton, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Brighton on the city page.
Is Brighton High School a good school?
Brighton High School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado. 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 27j?
Besides Brighton High School, School District 27j also operates Colorado Connections Academy (2,042 students), Prairie View High School (1,809 students), and Riverdale Ridge High School (1,784 students). See the School District 27j 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.