Enrollment
727
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Firestone, CO
Coal Ridge Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Coal Ridge Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080537001774
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Coal Ridge Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Colorado schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Firestone · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.1:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 22.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Coal Ridge Middle School has class sizes larger than 80% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Coal Ridge Middle School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Firestone, CO.
School address
District: St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j · Colorado
NCES ID 080537001774 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.8%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Coal Ridge Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Coal Ridge Middle School
Coal Ridge Middle School is a large middle school in Firestone, Colorado, enrolling 727 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 runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 727 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 263 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #150.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 291 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data 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.
Discipline events run high: 159 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 727 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j also operates Erie High School (1,727 students) and Niwot High School (1,509 students) alongside Coal Ridge 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 Coal Ridge Middle School compares
Coal Ridge 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 | 19.1:1 | ▲ 15% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.8% | ▼ 41% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 727 | top 14% | - | - |
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.
727
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
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
32.2%
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
$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
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 291 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
61
in-school suspensions + 98 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.9 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 62.6%
Hispanic or Latino 30.0%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 2.5%
African American 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 62.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.6, Coal Ridge 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 St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j, which includes Coal Ridge Middle School.
$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 Coal Ridge Middle School 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 | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Soaring Heights Pk-8 | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Coal Ridge Middle School'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 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 (~727 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Coal Ridge Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Coal Ridge Middle School 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 Coal Ridge Middle School
How many students attend Coal Ridge Middle School?
Coal Ridge Middle School has 727 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Firestone, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Coal Ridge Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Coal Ridge Middle 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 Coal Ridge Middle School?
22.8% of students at Coal Ridge Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Coal Ridge Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Coal Ridge Middle School is White at 62.6% of enrollment, in Firestone, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Coal Ridge Middle School?
Coal Ridge Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Coal Ridge Middle School rank among public schools in Firestone?
By Resource Investment Index, Coal Ridge Middle School ranks #2 of 4 public 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 public schools in Firestone on the city page.
Is Coal Ridge Middle School a good school?
Coal Ridge Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% 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 Coal Ridge Middle School, 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.