Enrollment
525
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Firestone, CO
Centennial Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Centennial Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080537006397
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Centennial Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Colorado schools.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Firestone · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 25.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Centennial Elementary has class sizes larger than 73% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Centennial Elementary ranks #2 of 3 schools in Firestone, CO.
School address
District: St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j · Colorado
NCES ID 080537006397 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
25.6%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Centennial Elementary compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Centennial Elementary
Centennial Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Firestone, Colorado, enrolling 525 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 25.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 525 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 349 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #240.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 525 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j spends $12,559 per pupil, 23% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j also operates Erie High School (1,727 students) and Niwot High School (1,509 students) alongside Centennial Elementary.
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 Centennial Elementary compares
Centennial Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.1:1 | ▲ 9% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 25.6% | ▼ 34% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 525 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
525
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
25.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 73% in Colorado - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
18.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,559
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 525 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 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 60.6%
Hispanic or Latino 29.0%
Two or More 5.3%
Asian 3.6%
African American 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: White at 60.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.4, Centennial Elementary is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j, which includes Centennial Elementary.
$12,559
Per student
-23%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.1%
State 36.7%
Federal 9.3%
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 Centennial Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Niwot High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frederick Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Longmont High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Soaring Heights Pk-8 | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Centennial Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,727
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,509
- Students per teacher
- 26.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,491
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,268
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,211
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other 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 (~525 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Centennial Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Centennial Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j'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 Centennial Elementary
How many students attend Centennial Elementary?
Centennial Elementary has 525 students enrolled. It is a public school in Firestone, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Centennial Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Centennial Elementary is 18.1:1, which is 9% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Centennial Elementary?
25.6% of students at Centennial Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Centennial Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Centennial Elementary is White at 60.6% of enrollment, in Firestone, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Centennial Elementary?
Centennial Elementary 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 Centennial Elementary rank among schools in Firestone?
By Resource Investment Index, Centennial Elementary ranks #2 of 3 schools in Firestone, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Firestone on the city page.
Is Centennial Elementary a good school?
Centennial Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% 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 St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j?
Besides Centennial Elementary, St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j also operates Erie High School (1,727 students), Niwot High School (1,509 students), and Frederick Senior High School (1,491 students). See the St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j 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.