Enrollment
358
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Grand Junction, CO
Fruitvale Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Fruitvale Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080435000610
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fruitvale Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 81% of Colorado schools.
- #19 of 21
- schools in Grand Junction · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.3:1
- small classes for Colorado
- 50.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Fruitvale Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 81% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fruitvale Elementary School ranks #19 of 21 schools in Grand Junction, CO.
School address
District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 · Colorado
NCES ID 080435000610 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.3:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.2%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Fruitvale Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Fruitvale Elementary School
Fruitvale Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Grand Junction, Colorado, enrolling 358 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 50.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 358 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 293 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #282, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (33%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 377 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 spends $11,650 per pupil, 28% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 also operates Grand Junction High School (1,832 students) and Fruita Monument High School (1,427 students) alongside Fruitvale 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 Fruitvale Elementary School compares
Fruitvale 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 | 12.3:1 | ▼ 26% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.2% | ▲ 30% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 358 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.3:1
Leaner classes than 73% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
358
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% 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
12.3:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 19% in Colorado - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
41.1%
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
$11,650
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
Counselors0.9 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
39
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.6 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 62.3%
Hispanic or Latino 33.0%
Two or More 2.5%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
African American 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 62.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.2, Fruitvale Elementary School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mesa County Valley School District No. 51, which includes Fruitvale Elementary School.
$11,650
Per student
-28%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.9%
State 46.3%
Federal 14.7%
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 Fruitvale Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita Monument High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palisade High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita 8/9 School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fruitvale Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,832
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,427
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,352
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,073
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 704
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
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 (~358 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Fruitvale Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Fruitvale Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Mesa County Valley School District No. 51'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 Fruitvale Elementary School
How many students attend Fruitvale Elementary School?
Fruitvale Elementary School has 358 students enrolled. It is a public school in Grand Junction, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fruitvale Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Fruitvale Elementary School is 12.3:1, which is 26% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 22% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fruitvale Elementary School?
50.2% of students at Fruitvale Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fruitvale Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Fruitvale Elementary School is White at 62.3% of enrollment, in Grand Junction, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fruitvale Elementary School?
Fruitvale Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Fruitvale Elementary School rank among schools in Grand Junction?
By Resource Investment Index, Fruitvale Elementary School ranks #19 of 21 schools in Grand Junction, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Grand Junction on the city page.
Is Fruitvale Elementary School a good school?
Fruitvale Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 81% 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 Mesa County Valley School District No. 51?
Besides Fruitvale Elementary School, Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 also operates Grand Junction High School (1,832 students), Fruita Monument High School (1,427 students), and Central High School (1,352 students). See the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Compare schools
Side-by-side comparison tool
Schools in Colorado
All public schools in Colorado
Mesa County Valley School District No. 51
All schools in this district
Schools in Grand Junction
All schools in this city
School districts
Ranked by enrollment & spending
Rankings
Best schools by state & type
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.