Enrollment
359
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cortez, CO
Mesa Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Mesa Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080309000839
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mesa Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Colorado schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Colorado schools.
- #4 of 5
- elementary schools in Cortez · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 74.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Mesa Elementary School has class sizes larger than 71% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mesa Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Cortez, CO.
School address
District: Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 · Colorado
NCES ID 080309000839 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.8%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+94% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mesa Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mesa Elementary School
Mesa Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Cortez, Colorado, enrolling 359 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 74.8% of students qualify for free meals, 94% above the Colorado average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 359 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 205 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #177, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by American Indian / Alaska Native (37%) and White (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 349 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.5% 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 Mesa 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 Mesa Elementary School compares
Mesa 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 8% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.8% | ▲ 94% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 359 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
359
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 94% 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
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 71% in Colorado - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
41.5%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 349 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.2 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
American Indian / Alaska Native 37.3%
White 29.0%
Hispanic or Latino 22.8%
Two or More 9.7%
Asian 0.8%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: American Indian / Alaska Native at 37.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.5, Mesa 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 Mesa 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 Mesa Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montezuma-Cortez High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Montezuma-Cortez Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Kemper Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southwest Open Charter School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Children's Kiva Montessori School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mesa 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
- 339
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- 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 (~359 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mesa Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Mesa 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 Mesa Elementary School
How many students attend Mesa Elementary School?
Mesa Elementary School has 359 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cortez, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mesa Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mesa Elementary School is 17.9:1, which is 8% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mesa Elementary School?
74.8% of students at Mesa Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mesa Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Mesa Elementary School is American Indian / Alaska Native at 37.3% of enrollment, in Cortez, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mesa Elementary School?
Mesa Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Mesa Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Cortez?
By Resource Investment Index, Mesa Elementary School ranks #4 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 Mesa Elementary School a good school?
Mesa Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Colorado schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1?
Besides Mesa Elementary School, Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 also operates Montezuma-Cortez High School (598 students), Montezuma-Cortez Middle School (505 students), and Kemper Elementary School (339 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.