Enrollment
491
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Montrose, CO
Columbine Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Columbine 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 080579000989
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 53
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbine Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #4 of 13
- public schools in Montrose · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- students per teacher
- 41.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbine Middle School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbine Middle School ranks #4 of 13 public schools in Montrose, CO.
School address
District: Montrose County School District Re-1j · Colorado
NCES ID 080579000989 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.6%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbine Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbine Middle School
Columbine Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Montrose, Colorado, enrolling 491 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 41.6% lands close to the Colorado typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 491 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 283 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #156.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 233 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 50.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Montrose County School District Re-1j spends $10,606 per pupil, 35% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 103 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 491 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Montrose County School District Re-1j also operates Montrose High School (1,279 students) and Centennial Middle School (540 students) alongside Columbine 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 Columbine Middle School compares
Columbine 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 | 16.9:1 | ▲ 2% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.6% | ▲ 8% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 491 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
491
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 62% in Colorado - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
50.9%
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
$10,606
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
Counselors2.1 FTE
Per 233 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
26
in-school suspensions + 77 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 62.3%
Hispanic or Latino 31.8%
Two or More 3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Asian 0.8%
African American 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 62.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.9, Columbine 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 Montrose County School District Re-1j, which includes Columbine Middle School.
$10,606
Per student
-35%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.8%
State 53.3%
Federal 17.9%
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 Columbine Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montrose High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Johnson Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Olathe Middle/High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Olathe Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbine Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,279
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 540
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 531
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 499
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
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 (~491 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbine Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Columbine Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Montrose County School District Re-1j'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 Columbine Middle School
How many students attend Columbine Middle School?
Columbine Middle School has 491 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Montrose, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbine Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbine Middle School is 16.9:1, which is 2% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbine Middle School?
41.6% of students at Columbine Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbine Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Columbine Middle School is White at 62.3% of enrollment, in Montrose, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbine Middle School?
Columbine 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 Columbine Middle School rank among public schools in Montrose?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbine Middle School ranks #4 of 13 public schools in Montrose, 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 Montrose on the city page.
Is Columbine Middle School a good school?
Columbine Middle School earns 39/100 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 Montrose County School District Re-1j?
Besides Columbine Middle School, Montrose County School District Re-1j also operates Montrose High School (1,279 students), Centennial Middle School (540 students), and Johnson Elementary School (531 students). See the Montrose County School District Re-1j 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.