Enrollment
296
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · La Junta, CO
La Junta Primary School
Federal NCES profile for La Junta Primary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080513001975
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Junta Primary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 88% of Colorado schools.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in La Junta · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11:1
- small classes for Colorado
- 66.7%
- free-lunch eligible
La Junta Primary School has class sizes smaller than 88% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Junta Primary School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in La Junta, CO.
School address
District: East Otero School District No. R1 · Colorado
NCES ID 080513001975 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-34% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.7%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Junta Primary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Junta Primary School
La Junta Primary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in La Junta, Colorado, enrolling 296 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11:1, La Junta Primary School is leaner than roughly 88% of Colorado schools and 34% under the state's 16.6:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 66.7% of students qualify for free meals, 73% above the Colorado average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 296 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 195 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #176, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (71%) and White (26%) (diversity index 42/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 308 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 22.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
East Otero School District No. R1 also operates La Junta Jr/Sr High School (501 students) and La Junta Intermediate School (397 students) alongside La Junta Primary 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 Junta Primary School compares
La Junta Primary 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 | 11:1 | ▼ 34% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.7% | ▲ 73% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 296 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11:1
Leaner classes than 83% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
296
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% above the Colorado average of 38.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11:1
students per teacher
- 34% below state mean
Top 12% in Colorado - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
44.3%
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
$13,362
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 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 71.3%
White 26.0%
Two or More 2.0%
African American 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 71.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.4, La Junta Primary School is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for East Otero School District No. R1, which includes La Junta Primary School.
$13,362
Per student
-18%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.6%
State 58.7%
Federal 22.7%
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 Junta Primary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Junta Jr/Sr High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| La Junta Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tiger Trades Academy | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Junta Primary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 501
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 397
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 90
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
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 (~296 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Junta Primary School's federal record.
- Compare La Junta Primary School against another school. Compare schools
- East Otero School District No. R1'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 Junta Primary School
How many students attend La Junta Primary School?
La Junta Primary School has 296 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in La Junta, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Junta Primary School?
The student-teacher ratio at La Junta Primary School is 11:1, which is 34% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 30% 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 Junta Primary School?
66.7% of students at La Junta Primary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Junta Primary School?
The largest demographic group at La Junta Primary School is Hispanic or Latino at 71.3% of enrollment, in La Junta, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Junta Primary School?
La Junta Primary School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower 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 Junta Primary School rank among public schools in La Junta?
By Resource Investment Index, La Junta Primary School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in La Junta, 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 Junta on the city page.
Is La Junta Primary School a good school?
La Junta Primary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 88% 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 East Otero School District No. R1?
Besides La Junta Primary School, East Otero School District No. R1 also operates La Junta Jr/Sr High School (501 students), La Junta Intermediate School (397 students), and Tiger Trades Academy (90 students). See the East Otero School District No. R1 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.