- Enrollment
- 1,923
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Golden, CO
Free Horizon Montessori
Federal NCES profile for Free Horizon Montessori, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080480001920
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Free Horizon Montessori earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Colorado schools.
- #9 of 9
- schools in Golden · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.1:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 15.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Free Horizon Montessori has class sizes larger than 86% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Free Horizon Montessori ranks #9 of 9 schools in Golden, CO.
School address
District: Jefferson County School District No. R-1 · Colorado
NCES ID 080480001920 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-21 students YoY
Free Horizon Montessori shrank from 394 students in 2022-23 to 373 in 2023-24 (-5.3%).
Teacher FTE added 19.8 → 22.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-21 students YoY 080480001920 · Golden, CO Other · SMALL · TRAD
382 enr · 20.1:1 · 15.2% lunch · RII 29
Nearest enrollment peer: Arvada West High School (1,923 students)
Free Horizon Montessori shrank from 394 students in 2022-23 to 373 in 2023-24 (-5.3%). Teacher FTE added 19.8 → 22.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Colorado schools → · Find another →
Free Horizon Montessori in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Arvada West Hi
Arvada West High School
1,923 students
- Ralston Valley
Ralston Valley Senior High School
1,875 students
- Chatfield High
Chatfield High School
1,808 students
- Lakewood High
Lakewood High School
1,735 students
- Columbine High
Columbine High School
1,710 students
- This school 382
Free Horizon Montessori
382 students
What this shows Free Horizon Montessori reports 382 students on the CCD universe file.
How Free Horizon Montessori compares
Free Horizon Montessori is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.1:1 | ▲ 21% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.2% | ▼ 61% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 382 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.1:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
382
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
15.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% 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
20.1:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 86% in Colorado - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
36.6%
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
$14,483
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $17,910
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.9 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 74.6%
Hispanic or Latino 16.8%
Two or More 7.1%
Asian 1.3%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: White at 74.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.0, Free Horizon Montessori is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Jefferson County School District No. R-1 reports $14,483 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Free Horizon Montessori Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arvada West High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ralston Valley Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chatfield High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakewood High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Columbine High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Free Horizon Montessori's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,875
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,808
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,735
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,710
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~382 students)
Frequently asked questions about Free Horizon Montessori
How many students attend Free Horizon Montessori?
Free Horizon Montessori has 382 students enrolled. It is a public school in Golden, CO. CCD year-over-year: 394 (2022-23) → 373 (2023-24), down 21.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Free Horizon Montessori?
The student-teacher ratio at Free Horizon Montessori is 20.1:1, which is 21% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 28% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Free Horizon Montessori?
15.2% of students at Free Horizon Montessori are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Free Horizon Montessori?
The largest demographic group at Free Horizon Montessori is White at 74.6% of enrollment, in Golden, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Free Horizon Montessori?
Free Horizon Montessori has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Free Horizon Montessori rank among schools in Golden?
By Resource Investment Index, Free Horizon Montessori ranks #9 of 9 schools in Golden, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Golden on the city page.
What other schools are in Jefferson County School District No. R-1?
Besides Free Horizon Montessori, Jefferson County School District No. R-1 also operates Arvada West High School (1,923 students), Ralston Valley Senior High School (1,875 students), and Chatfield High School (1,808 students). See the Jefferson County School District No. R-1 district page for the complete list.