Enrollment
522
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Colorado Springs, CO
James Irwin Charter Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for James Irwin Charter Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080453001902Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 9
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Irwin Charter Elementary School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Colorado schools.
- #50 of 51
- elementary schools in Colorado Springs · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.7:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 32.3%
- free-lunch eligible
James Irwin Charter Elementary School has class sizes larger than 93% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Irwin Charter Elementary School ranks #50 of 51 elementary schools in Colorado Springs, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080453001902 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.7:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+37% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.3%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Irwin Charter Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Irwin Charter Elementary School
James Irwin Charter Elementary School is a mid-sized charter elementary school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, enrolling 522 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.7:1 is larger than about 93% of Colorado schools and 37% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 32.3% lands close to the Colorado typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 522 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 325 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #323, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (39%) (diversity index 65/100).
The surrounding Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an spends $11,944 per pupil, 27% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an also operates Harrison High School (1,089 students) and The Vanguard School (Elementary) (949 students) alongside James Irwin Charter 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 James Irwin Charter Elementary School compares
James Irwin Charter 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 | 22.7:1 | ▲ 37% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.3% | ▼ 16% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 522 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.7:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
522
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
22.7:1
students per teacher
- 37% above state mean
Top 93% in Colorado - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Funding equity
$11,944
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 + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 44.1%
White 38.7%
Two or More 8.2%
African American 6.3%
Asian 2.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.5, James Irwin Charter Elementary School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an, which includes James Irwin Charter Elementary School.
$11,944
Per student
-27%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.7%
State 60.0%
Federal 15.3%
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 Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| The Vanguard School (Elementary) | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sierra High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Soaring Eagles Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sand Creek International School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Irwin Charter Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,089
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 949
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 843
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 764
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 595
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
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 (~522 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Irwin Charter Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare James Irwin Charter Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an'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 Elementary School
How many students attend James Irwin Charter Elementary School?
James Irwin Charter Elementary School has 522 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Colorado Springs, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Irwin Charter Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at James Irwin Charter Elementary School is 22.7:1, which is 37% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 45% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Irwin Charter Elementary School?
32.3% of students at James Irwin Charter Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Irwin Charter Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at James Irwin Charter Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 44.1% of enrollment, in Colorado Springs, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Irwin Charter Elementary School?
James Irwin Charter Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does James Irwin Charter Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Colorado Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, James Irwin Charter Elementary School ranks #50 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 Elementary School a good school?
James Irwin Charter Elementary School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an?
Besides James Irwin Charter Elementary School, Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an also operates Harrison High School (1,089 students), The Vanguard School (Elementary) (949 students), and Sierra High School (843 students). See the Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an 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.