Enrollment
657
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Fort Carson, CO
Carson Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Carson Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080408000561
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Carson Middle School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Colorado schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Fort Carson · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.3:1
- students per teacher
- 22.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Carson Middle School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Carson Middle School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Fort Carson, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080408000561 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.3:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.5%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Carson Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Carson Middle School
Carson Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Fort Carson, Colorado, enrolling 657 students.
At 15.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Colorado median, within a few percentage points of the 16.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 657 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 305 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #17, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (41%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 219 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
The surrounding Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an spends $12,970 per pupil, 20% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 37.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 199 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 657 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an also operates Fountain-Fort Carson High School (1,974 students) and Fountain Middle School (1,051 students) alongside Carson Middle 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 Carson Middle School compares
Carson Middle 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 | 15.3:1 | ▼ 8% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.5% | ▼ 42% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 657 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
657
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% 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
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 45% in Colorado - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$12,970
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 219 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
51
in-school suspensions + 148 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.3 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 41.4%
Hispanic or Latino 29.5%
African American 13.2%
Two or More 9.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.3%
Asian 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: White at 41.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.4, Carson Middle School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an, which includes Carson Middle School.
$12,970
Per student
-20%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 5.9%
State 56.6%
Federal 37.4%
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 Carson Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fountain-Fort Carson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fountain Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Weikel Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mesa Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jordahl Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Carson Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,974
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,051
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 814
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 668
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 524
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar middle 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 (~657 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Carson Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Carson Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an'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 Carson Middle School
How many students attend Carson Middle School?
Carson Middle School has 657 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Fort Carson, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Carson Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Carson Middle School is 15.3:1, which is 8% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 3% 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 Carson Middle School?
22.5% of students at Carson Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Carson Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Carson Middle School is White at 41.4% of enrollment, in Fort Carson, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Carson Middle School?
Carson Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Carson Middle School rank among public schools in Fort Carson?
By Resource Investment Index, Carson Middle School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Fort Carson, 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 Fort Carson on the city page.
Is Carson Middle School a good school?
Carson Middle School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an?
Besides Carson Middle School, Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an also operates Fountain-Fort Carson High School (1,974 students), Fountain Middle School (1,051 students), and Weikel Elementary School (814 students). See the Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an district page for the complete list.
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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.