Middle school (grades 6-8) · Colorado Springs, CO

James Irwin Charter Middle School

Federal NCES profile for James Irwin Charter Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.

2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080453001964Charter school
0/100100/10055/100
👥 S:T ratio
40
🌟 Gifted program
70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

James Irwin Charter Middle School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.

#9 of 25
middle schools in Colorado Springs · Resource Index
55
Resource Index · Higher
15:1
students per teacher
27.9%
free-lunch eligible

James Irwin Charter Middle School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, James Irwin Charter Middle School ranks #9 of 25 middle schools in Colorado Springs, CO.

Enrollment

434

Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data

Teachers (FTE)

29.0

Federal CCD staff survey

Students per teacher

15:1

vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg

-10% vs state

Free-lunch eligible

27.9%

vs 38.5% Colorado avg

-28% vs state

Student-teacher ratio in context

How James Irwin Charter Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians

At or below state median

Source: NCES Common Core of Data As of 2024-25 federal staff survey Total enrollment ÷ full-time-equivalent classroom teachers

What stands out at James Irwin Charter Middle School

James Irwin Charter Middle School is a mid-sized charter middle school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, enrolling 434 students.

At 15:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Colorado median, within a few percentage points of the 16.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.

Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.9% of students eligible for free meals.

With 434 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.

Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.

Among 380 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #31, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.

Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (46%) and White (33%) (diversity index 66/100).

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 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 James Irwin Charter Middle School compares

James Irwin Charter 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 15:1 ▼ 10% 16.6:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 27.9% ▼ 28% 38.5% 51.7%
Enrollment 434 top 38% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
434
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.

Equity indicators (what these measure)

Economic need
27.9%
free-lunch eligible - 28% 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
15:1
students per teacher - 10% below state mean
Top 41% in Colorado - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
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 46.3%
White 33.2%
Two or More 8.8%
African American 8.5%
Asian 2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%

Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.3% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 66.0/100

Simpson diversity index - at 66.0, James Irwin Charter 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 Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an, which includes James Irwin Charter Middle 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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates

School Enrollment Economic Profile Student-Teacher Ratio
Harrison High School Larger Higher economic need Higher S:T ratio
The Vanguard School (Elementary) Larger Lower economic need Similar S:T ratio
Sierra High School Larger Higher economic need Similar S:T ratio
Soaring Eagles Elementary School Larger Higher economic need Higher S:T ratio
Sand Creek International School Larger Higher economic need Similar S:T ratio

Comparisons are relative to James Irwin Charter Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.

Other Schools in This District

Harrison School District No. 2 In The County Of El Paso An · 5 sibling schools

View district profile

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.

Next steps

Verify locally before acting on James Irwin Charter Middle School's federal record.

  • Compare James Irwin Charter Middle 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 Middle School

How many students attend James Irwin Charter Middle School?

James Irwin Charter Middle School has 434 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Colorado Springs, CO.

What is the student-teacher ratio at James Irwin Charter Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at James Irwin Charter Middle School is 15:1, which is 10% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 4% 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 James Irwin Charter Middle School?

27.9% of students at James Irwin Charter Middle 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 Middle School?

The largest demographic group at James Irwin Charter Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 46.3% of enrollment, in Colorado Springs, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.0/100.

What is the Resource Investment Index for James Irwin Charter Middle School?

James Irwin Charter Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (higher 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 Middle School rank among middle schools in Colorado Springs?

By Resource Investment Index, James Irwin Charter Middle School ranks #9 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 James Irwin Charter Middle School a good school?

James Irwin Charter Middle School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. 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 Middle 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.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2021-22) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

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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.