Enrollment
668
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fountain, 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 080408000564
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 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 77% of Colorado schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Colorado schools.
- #9 of 10
- public schools in Fountain · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.6:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 27.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Mesa Elementary School has class sizes larger than 77% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mesa Elementary School ranks #9 of 10 public schools in Fountain, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080408000564 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.9%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-28% 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 mid-sized elementary school in Fountain, Colorado, enrolling 668 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 668 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 270 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #220, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 668 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
The surrounding Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an spends $12,970 per pupil, 20% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 37.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an also operates Fountain-Fort Carson High School (1,974 students) and Fountain Middle School (1,051 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 | 18.6:1 | ▲ 12% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.9% | ▼ 28% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 668 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
668
Bigger than 78% 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
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 77% in Colorado - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$12,970
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 668 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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 43.3%
Hispanic or Latino 31.3%
Two or More 12.0%
African American 9.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.6%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 43.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.0, 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 Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an, which includes Mesa Elementary School.
$12,970
Per student
-20%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 5.9%
State 56.6%
Federal 37.4%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fountain-Fort Carson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Fountain Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Weikel Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carson Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jordahl Elementary School | Similar size | Similar 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
- 1,974
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,051
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 814
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 657
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 524
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
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 (~668 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mesa Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Mesa Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Fountain School District No. 8 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 Mesa Elementary School
How many students attend Mesa Elementary School?
Mesa Elementary School has 668 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fountain, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mesa Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mesa Elementary School is 18.6:1, which is 12% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mesa Elementary School?
27.9% 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 White at 43.3% of enrollment, in Fountain, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.0/100.
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 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mesa Elementary School rank among public schools in Fountain?
By Resource Investment Index, Mesa Elementary School ranks #9 of 10 public schools in Fountain, 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 Fountain 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 77% 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 Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an?
Besides Mesa Elementary School, Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an also operates Fountain-Fort Carson High School (1,974 students), Fountain Middle School (1,051 students), and Weikel Elementary School (814 students). See the Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an district page for the complete list.
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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.