Enrollment
339
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cortez, CO
Kemper Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Kemper Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080309000835
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kemper Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #3 of 5
- elementary schools in Cortez · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 60.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Kemper Elementary School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kemper Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Cortez, CO.
School address
District: Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 · Colorado
NCES ID 080309000835 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.2%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kemper Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kemper Elementary School
Kemper Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Cortez, Colorado, enrolling 339 students.
At 16.1:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 60.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 339 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 253 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #190, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 320 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 spends $11,473 per pupil, 29% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 also operates Montezuma-Cortez High School (598 students) and Montezuma-Cortez Middle School (505 students) alongside Kemper 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 Kemper Elementary School compares
Kemper 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 | 16.1:1 | ▼ 3% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.2% | ▲ 56% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 339 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
339
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 54% in Colorado - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
51.0%
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
$11,473
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
Counselors1.1 FTE
Per 320 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 52.2%
Hispanic or Latino 22.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 19.5%
Two or More 5.3%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: White at 52.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.8, Kemper Elementary School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1, which includes Kemper Elementary School.
$11,473
Per student
-29%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.2%
State 42.0%
Federal 15.9%
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 Kemper Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montezuma-Cortez High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Montezuma-Cortez Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mesa Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southwest Open Charter School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Children's Kiva Montessori School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kemper Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 598
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 505
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 359
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 131
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 130
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
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 (~339 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kemper Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Kemper Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1'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 Kemper Elementary School
How many students attend Kemper Elementary School?
Kemper Elementary School has 339 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cortez, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kemper Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Kemper Elementary School is 16.1:1, which is 3% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 3% higher 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 Kemper Elementary School?
60.2% of students at Kemper Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kemper Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Kemper Elementary School is White at 52.2% of enrollment, in Cortez, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kemper Elementary School?
Kemper Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Kemper Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Cortez?
By Resource Investment Index, Kemper Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Cortez, 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 Cortez on the city page.
Is Kemper Elementary School a good school?
Kemper Elementary School earns 35/100 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 Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1?
Besides Kemper Elementary School, Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 also operates Montezuma-Cortez High School (598 students), Montezuma-Cortez Middle School (505 students), and Mesa Elementary School (359 students). See the Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 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.