Enrollment
672
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Brighton, CO
Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080258006813
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Colorado schools.
- #6 of 10
- schools in Brighton · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 30.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School has class sizes larger than 94% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School ranks #6 of 10 schools in Brighton, CO.
School address
District: School District 27j · Colorado
NCES ID 080258006813 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+45% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.3%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School
Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Brighton, Colorado, enrolling 672 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24:1 is larger than about 94% of Colorado schools and 45% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 30.3% lands close to the Colorado typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 672 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 250 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #227, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (62%) and White (32%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 672 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding School District 27j spends $10,462 per pupil, 36% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
School District 27j also operates Colorado Connections Academy (2,042 students) and Prairie View High School (1,809 students) alongside Elaine S. Padilla 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 Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School compares
Elaine S. Padilla 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 | 24:1 | ▲ 45% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.3% | ▼ 21% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 672 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
672
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
24:1
students per teacher
- 45% above state mean
Top 94% in Colorado - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
26.3%
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
$10,462
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 672 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
21
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.5 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
Hispanic or Latino 61.8%
White 31.7%
Two or More 2.8%
African American 2.2%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 61.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.6, Elaine S. Padilla 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 School District 27j, which includes Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School.
$10,462
Per student
-36%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.5%
State 47.7%
Federal 7.8%
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 Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Connections Academy | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Prairie View High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Riverdale Ridge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brighton High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bromley East Charter School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,042
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 0/100
- Enrollment
- 1,809
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,784
- Students per teacher
- 29.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,733
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,214
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
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 (~672 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- School District 27j'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 Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School
How many students attend Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School?
Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School has 672 students enrolled. It is a public school in Brighton, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School is 24:1, which is 45% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 53% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School?
30.3% of students at Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 61.8% of enrollment, in Brighton, 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 Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School?
Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School rank among schools in Brighton?
By Resource Investment Index, Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School ranks #6 of 10 schools in Brighton, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Brighton on the city page.
Is Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School a good school?
Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 School District 27j?
Besides Elaine S. Padilla Elementary School, School District 27j also operates Colorado Connections Academy (2,042 students), Prairie View High School (1,809 students), and Riverdale Ridge High School (1,784 students). See the School District 27j 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.