Enrollment
506
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 080690006850
Five Star Online Academy — Thornton, CO
Federal NCES profile for Five Star Online Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 36/100.
👥 Class size 36
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: Adams 12 Five Star Schools · Colorado
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 16.9:1 Colorado avg
-6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Five Star Online Academy compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
Five Star Online Academy reports 506 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 32.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 6% below the Colorado state mean of 16.9:1, signalling more teacher attention per pupil than the state benchmark. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 0% higher, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
On the finance side, the surrounding Adams 12 Five Star Schools spends $14,916 per pupil district-wide, below the Colorado average of $20,949 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 45.4% from local sources (property taxes), 44.8% from the state, and 9.8% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (F), calculated from 1 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Five Star Online Academy compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Colorado state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.9:1 | ▼ 6% | 16.9:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Enrollment | 506 | top 72% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
— 6% below state mean
Top 49% in Colorado — lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Between 15:1 and 20:1 — in line with the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$14,916
per pupil, district-wide
— below Colorado avg of $20,949
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Overview
Enrollment 506 Top 72% in Colorado — larger than 28% of 1,923 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 32.0
Students per teacher 15.9:1 -6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible —
NCES ID 080690006850
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 46.4%
White 40.0%
Two or More 5.2%
Asian 3.8%
African American 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.4% of enrollment.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Adams 12 Five Star Schools, which includes Five Star Online Academy.
$14,916
Per student
-29%
vs Colorado
Avg $20,949
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 45.4%
State 44.8%
Federal 9.8%
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,052
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Enrollment
- 1,966
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Enrollment
- 1,844
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Enrollment
- 1,788
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Enrollment
- 1,572
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
Similar other schools in Thornton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Stargate Charter School
Standard public school
1,572 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
York International
Standard public school
776 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
West Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
690 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Brantner Elementary School
Standard public school
574 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Explore Pk-8
Standard public school
557 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Westgate Community School
Standard public school
540 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about Five Star Online Academy
How many students attend Five Star Online Academy?
Five Star Online Academy has 506 students enrolled. It is a other school in THORNTON, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Five Star Online Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Five Star Online Academy is 15.9:1, which is 6% lower than the Colorado average of 16.9:1 and 0% higher than the national average of 15.9:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Five Star Online Academy?
The largest demographic group at Five Star Online Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 46.4%. The school serves a diverse student body in THORNTON, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Five Star Online Academy?
Five Star Online Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (F) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.