Enrollment
364
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Grand Junction, CO
Chipeta Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Chipeta Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080435006374
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chipeta Elementary School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #7 of 21
- schools in Grand Junction · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 57.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Chipeta Elementary School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chipeta Elementary School ranks #7 of 21 schools in Grand Junction, CO.
School address
District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 · Colorado
NCES ID 080435006374 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.9%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chipeta Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chipeta Elementary School
Chipeta Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Grand Junction, Colorado, enrolling 364 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 57.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 364 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 265 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #136.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (40%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 255 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 spends $11,650 per pupil, 28% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 also operates Grand Junction High School (1,832 students) and Fruita Monument High School (1,427 students) alongside Chipeta 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 Chipeta Elementary School compares
Chipeta 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 | 14:1 | ▼ 16% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.9% | ▲ 50% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 364 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
364
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
14:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 33% in Colorado - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
48.4%
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
$11,650
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
Counselors1.4 FTE
Per 255 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
37
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.7 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 53.0%
Hispanic or Latino 40.4%
Two or More 4.1%
African American 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 53.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.4, Chipeta Elementary School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mesa County Valley School District No. 51, which includes Chipeta Elementary School.
$11,650
Per student
-28%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.9%
State 46.3%
Federal 14.7%
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 Chipeta Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita Monument High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palisade High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita 8/9 School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chipeta Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,832
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,427
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,352
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,073
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 704
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
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 (~364 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chipeta Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Chipeta Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Mesa County Valley School District No. 51'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 Chipeta Elementary School
How many students attend Chipeta Elementary School?
Chipeta Elementary School has 364 students enrolled. It is a public school in Grand Junction, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chipeta Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Chipeta Elementary School is 14:1, which is 16% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 11% 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 Chipeta Elementary School?
57.9% of students at Chipeta Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chipeta Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Chipeta Elementary School is White at 53.0% of enrollment, in Grand Junction, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chipeta Elementary School?
Chipeta Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Chipeta Elementary School rank among schools in Grand Junction?
By Resource Investment Index, Chipeta Elementary School ranks #7 of 21 schools in Grand Junction, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Grand Junction on the city page.
Is Chipeta Elementary School a good school?
Chipeta Elementary School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. 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 Mesa County Valley School District No. 51?
Besides Chipeta Elementary School, Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 also operates Grand Junction High School (1,832 students), Fruita Monument High School (1,427 students), and Central High School (1,352 students). See the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 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.