Enrollment
495
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Loveland, CO
High Plains School
Federal NCES profile for High Plains School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080540006697
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
High Plains School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Colorado schools.
- #12 of 12
- schools in Loveland · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.8:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 25.8%
- free-lunch eligible
High Plains School has class sizes larger than 84% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, High Plains School ranks #12 of 12 schools in Loveland, CO.
School address
District: Thompson School District R-2j · Colorado
NCES ID 080540006697 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.8:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
25.8%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-33% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How High Plains School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at High Plains School
High Plains School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Loveland, Colorado, enrolling 495 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 25.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 495 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 365 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #334, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (68%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 495 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Thompson School District R-2j also operates Loveland High School (1,354 students) and Mountain View High School (1,074 students) alongside High Plains 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 High Plains School compares
High Plains 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 | 19.8:1 | ▲ 19% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 25.8% | ▼ 33% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 495 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.8:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
495
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
25.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% 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
19.8:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 84% in Colorado - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.1%
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
$15,018
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 495 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
48
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.3 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 67.7%
Hispanic or Latino 21.0%
Two or More 6.3%
Asian 2.6%
African American 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 67.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.3, High Plains School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Thompson School District R-2j, which includes High Plains School.
$15,018
Per student
-8%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.1%
State 36.1%
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.
How High Plains School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loveland High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mountain View High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Loveland Classical School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thompson Valley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| New Vision Charter School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to High Plains School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,354
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,074
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,032
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,005
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,005
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
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 (~495 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on High Plains School's federal record.
- Compare High Plains School against another school. Compare schools
- Thompson School District R-2j'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 High Plains School
How many students attend High Plains School?
High Plains School has 495 students enrolled. It is a public school in Loveland, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at High Plains School?
The student-teacher ratio at High Plains School is 19.8:1, which is 19% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 26% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at High Plains School?
25.8% of students at High Plains School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of High Plains School?
The largest demographic group at High Plains School is White at 67.7% of enrollment, in Loveland, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for High Plains School?
High Plains School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 High Plains School rank among schools in Loveland?
By Resource Investment Index, High Plains School ranks #12 of 12 schools in Loveland, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Loveland on the city page.
Is High Plains School a good school?
High Plains School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% 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 Thompson School District R-2j?
Besides High Plains School, Thompson School District R-2j also operates Loveland High School (1,354 students), Mountain View High School (1,074 students), and Loveland Classical School (1,032 students). See the Thompson School District R-2j 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.