Enrollment
773
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Colorado Springs, CO
Horizon Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Horizon Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080387001393
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Horizon Middle School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Colorado schools.
- #23 of 25
- middle schools in Colorado Springs · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- students per teacher
- 42.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Horizon Middle School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Horizon Middle School ranks #23 of 25 middle schools in Colorado Springs, CO.
School address
District: El Paso County Colorado School District 49 · Colorado
NCES ID 080387001393 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.3%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Horizon Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Horizon Middle School
Horizon Middle School is a large middle school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, enrolling 773 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 42.3% lands close to the Colorado typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 773 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 128 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #72.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 268 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding El Paso County Colorado School District 49 spends $10,145 per pupil, 38% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
El Paso County Colorado School District 49 also operates Goal Academy (6,693 students) and Banning Lewis Ranch Academy (1,697 students) alongside Horizon Middle 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 Horizon Middle School compares
Horizon Middle 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 | 17.2:1 | ▲ 4% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.3% | ▲ 10% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 773 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
773
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% 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
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 65% in Colorado - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
47.7%
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
$10,145
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
Counselors2.9 FTE
Per 268 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 48 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 39.8%
Hispanic or Latino 35.1%
Two or More 15.0%
African American 6.6%
Asian 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 39.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.0, Horizon Middle School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for El Paso County Colorado School District 49, which includes Horizon Middle School.
$10,145
Per student
-38%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.9%
State 67.4%
Federal 8.8%
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 Horizon Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal Academy | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Banning Lewis Ranch Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Vista Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sand Creek High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Falcon High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Horizon Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 6,693
- Students per teacher
- 36.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,697
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,473
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,426
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 1,172
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar middle 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 (~773 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Horizon Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Horizon Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- El Paso County Colorado School District 49'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 Horizon Middle School
How many students attend Horizon Middle School?
Horizon Middle School has 773 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Colorado Springs, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Horizon Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Horizon Middle School is 17.2:1, which is 4% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Horizon Middle School?
42.3% of students at Horizon Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Horizon Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Horizon Middle School is White at 39.8% of enrollment, in Colorado Springs, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Horizon Middle School?
Horizon Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical 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 Horizon Middle School rank among middle schools in Colorado Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Horizon Middle School ranks #23 of 25 middle schools in Colorado Springs, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Colorado Springs on the city page.
Is Horizon Middle School a good school?
Horizon Middle School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 El Paso County Colorado School District 49?
Besides Horizon Middle School, El Paso County Colorado School District 49 also operates Goal Academy (6,693 students), Banning Lewis Ranch Academy (1,697 students), and Vista Ridge High School (1,473 students). See the El Paso County Colorado School District 49 district page for the complete list.
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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.