Enrollment
421
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Commerce City, CO
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080195000012
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Colorado schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Colorado schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Commerce City · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.1:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 69.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary School has class sizes larger than 80% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Commerce City, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080195000012 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.7%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+81% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Commerce City, Colorado, enrolling 421 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 69.7% of students qualify for free meals, 81% above the Colorado average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 421 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 254 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #215, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (88% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 22/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 64.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
School District N. 14 in the County of Adams & State of Colo also operates Adams City High School (1,500 students) and Kemp Elementary School (517 students) alongside Central 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 Central Elementary School compares
Central 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 | 19.1:1 | ▲ 15% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.7% | ▲ 81% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 421 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
421
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 81% above the Colorado average of 38.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 80% in Colorado - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
64.4%
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
$14,314
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.1 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
Hispanic or Latino 88.1%
African American 5.5%
White 4.5%
Two or More 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.9, Central 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 School District N. 14 in the County of Adams & State of Colo, which includes Central Elementary School.
$14,314
Per student
-12%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.5%
State 42.5%
Federal 17.0%
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 Central Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams City High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kemp Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Alsup Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dupont Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Monaco Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,500
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 517
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 492
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 434
- Students per teacher
- 28.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
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 (~421 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- School District N. 14 in the County of Adams & State of Colo'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 Central Elementary School
How many students attend Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has 421 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Commerce City, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 19.1:1, which is 15% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Elementary School?
69.7% of students at Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 88.1% of enrollment, in Commerce City, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Central Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Commerce City?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Commerce City, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Commerce City on the city page.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Colorado schools. It is also less 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 School District N. 14 in the County of Adams & State of Colo?
Besides Central Elementary School, School District N. 14 in the County of Adams & State of Colo also operates Adams City High School (1,500 students), Kemp Elementary School (517 students), and Alsup Elementary School (492 students). See the School District N. 14 in the County of Adams & State of Colo 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.