Enrollment
392
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Highlands Ranch, CO
Cougar Run Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cougar Run Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080345001526
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cougar Run Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Colorado schools.
- #22 of 26
- public schools in Highlands Ranch · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.6:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 9.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Cougar Run Elementary School has class sizes larger than 83% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cougar Run Elementary School ranks #22 of 26 public schools in Highlands Ranch, CO.
School address
District: Douglas County School District No. Re 1 · Colorado
NCES ID 080345001526 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.6:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
9.9%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-74% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cougar Run Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cougar Run Elementary School
Cougar Run Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, enrolling 392 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 9.9% free-meal eligibility runs 74% below the Colorado average.
With 392 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 307 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #246, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 381 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
The surrounding Douglas County School District No. Re 1 spends $11,848 per pupil, 27% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Douglas County School District No. Re 1 also operates American Academy (2,803 students) and Rock Canyon High School (2,325 students) alongside Cougar Run 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 Cougar Run Elementary School compares
Cougar Run 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 | 19.6:1 | ▲ 18% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 9.9% | ▼ 74% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 392 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.6:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
392
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
9.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% below the Colorado average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.6:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 83% in Colorado - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$11,848
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 381 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 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 68.6%
Hispanic or Latino 18.1%
Two or More 7.7%
Asian 3.8%
African American 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 68.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.9, Cougar Run Elementary School is about as mixed as the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Douglas County School District No. Re 1, which includes Cougar Run Elementary School.
$11,848
Per student
-27%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.8%
State 40.8%
Federal 6.4%
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 Cougar Run Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rock Canyon High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Legend High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mountain Vista High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chaparral High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cougar Run Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,803
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,325
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 2,206
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,169
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 2,007
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
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 (~392 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cougar Run Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cougar Run Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Douglas County School District No. Re 1'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 Cougar Run Elementary School
How many students attend Cougar Run Elementary School?
Cougar Run Elementary School has 392 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Highlands Ranch, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cougar Run Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cougar Run Elementary School is 19.6:1, which is 18% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cougar Run Elementary School?
9.9% of students at Cougar Run Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cougar Run Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cougar Run Elementary School is White at 68.6% of enrollment, in Highlands Ranch, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cougar Run Elementary School?
Cougar Run Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cougar Run Elementary School rank among public schools in Highlands Ranch?
By Resource Investment Index, Cougar Run Elementary School ranks #22 of 26 public schools in Highlands Ranch, 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 Highlands Ranch on the city page.
Is Cougar Run Elementary School a good school?
Cougar Run Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Douglas County School District No. Re 1?
Besides Cougar Run Elementary School, Douglas County School District No. Re 1 also operates American Academy (2,803 students), Rock Canyon High School (2,325 students), and Legend High School (2,206 students). See the Douglas County School District No. Re 1 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.