Enrollment
299
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Colorado Springs, CO
James Irwin Charter Academy
Federal NCES profile for James Irwin Charter Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080002006595Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Irwin Charter Academy earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Colorado schools.
- #33 of 51
- elementary schools in Colorado Springs · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.7:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 36.1%
- free-lunch eligible
James Irwin Charter Academy has class sizes larger than 77% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Irwin Charter Academy ranks #33 of 51 elementary schools in Colorado Springs, CO.
School address
District: State Charter School Institute · Colorado
NCES ID 080002006595 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.7:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.1%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Irwin Charter Academy compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Irwin Charter Academy
James Irwin Charter Academy is a mid-sized charter elementary school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, enrolling 299 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 36.1% lands close to the Colorado typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 299 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 298 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #226, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
16.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding State Charter School Institute spends $10,869 per pupil, 33% 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.
State Charter School Institute also operates The Pinnacle Charter School (1,905 students) and Academy of Charter Schools (1,887 students) alongside James Irwin Charter Academy.
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 James Irwin Charter Academy compares
James Irwin Charter Academy on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.7:1 | ▲ 13% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.1% | ▼ 6% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 299 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.7:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
299
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% 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
18.7:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 77% in Colorado - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
16.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$10,869
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for State Charter School Institute, which includes James Irwin Charter Academy.
$10,869
Per student
-33%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 8.8%
State 81.0%
Federal 10.1%
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 James Irwin Charter Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Pinnacle Charter School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Academy of Charter Schools | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Colorado Early Colleges Douglas County | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Colorado Early Colleges Fort Collins | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thomas Maclaren State Charter School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Irwin Charter Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,905
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,887
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,035
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 971
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 927
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary 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 (~299 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Irwin Charter Academy's federal record.
- Compare James Irwin Charter Academy against another school. Compare schools
- State Charter School Institute'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 James Irwin Charter Academy
How many students attend James Irwin Charter Academy?
James Irwin Charter Academy has 299 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Colorado Springs, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Irwin Charter Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at James Irwin Charter Academy is 18.7:1, which is 13% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 19% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Irwin Charter Academy?
36.1% of students at James Irwin Charter Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Irwin Charter Academy?
James Irwin Charter Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does James Irwin Charter Academy rank among elementary schools in Colorado Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, James Irwin Charter Academy ranks #33 of 51 elementary 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 elementary schools in Colorado Springs on the city page.
Is James Irwin Charter Academy a good school?
James Irwin Charter Academy earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 State Charter School Institute?
Besides James Irwin Charter Academy, State Charter School Institute also operates The Pinnacle Charter School (1,905 students), Academy of Charter Schools (1,887 students), and Colorado Early Colleges Douglas County (1,035 students). See the State Charter School Institute 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.