Enrollment
195
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · La Jara, CO
La Jara Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for La Jara Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080510000844
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Jara Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of Colorado schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in La Jara · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13:1
- small classes for Colorado
- 53.9%
- free-lunch eligible
La Jara Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 76% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Jara Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in La Jara, CO.
School address
District: North Conejos School District No. Re1j · Colorado
NCES ID 080510000844 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.9%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Jara Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Jara Elementary School
La Jara Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in La Jara, Colorado, enrolling 195 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 53.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 195 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 127 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #83.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (51%) and White (49%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 390 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding North Conejos School District No. Re1j spends $10,600 per pupil, 35% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
North Conejos School District No. Re1j also operates Centauri High School (301 students) and Centauri Middle School (211 students) alongside La Jara 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 La Jara Elementary School compares
La Jara 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 | 13:1 | ▼ 22% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.9% | ▲ 40% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 195 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
195
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% 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
13:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 24% in Colorado - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
29.2%
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
$10,600
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.1 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 50.8%
White 48.7%
Two or More 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 50.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.5, La Jara 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 North Conejos School District No. Re1j, which includes La Jara Elementary School.
$10,600
Per student
-35%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 8.2%
State 82.7%
Federal 9.1%
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 La Jara Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centauri High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Centauri Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Manassa Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Conejos Alternative Program | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Jara Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 301
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 211
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 190
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 30
- Students per teacher
- 30:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
Similar other 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 (~195 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Jara Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare La Jara Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- North Conejos School District No. Re1j'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 La Jara Elementary School
How many students attend La Jara Elementary School?
La Jara Elementary School has 195 students enrolled. It is a public school in La Jara, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Jara Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at La Jara Elementary School is 13:1, which is 22% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 17% 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 La Jara Elementary School?
53.9% of students at La Jara Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Jara Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at La Jara Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 50.8% of enrollment, in La Jara, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Jara Elementary School?
La Jara Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 La Jara Elementary School rank among public schools in La Jara?
By Resource Investment Index, La Jara Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in La Jara, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in La Jara on the city page.
Is La Jara Elementary School a good school?
La Jara Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% 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 North Conejos School District No. Re1j?
Besides La Jara Elementary School, North Conejos School District No. Re1j also operates Centauri High School (301 students), Centauri Middle School (211 students), and Manassa Elementary School (190 students). See the North Conejos School District No. Re1j 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.