Enrollment
1,304
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Colorado Springs, CO
Mesa Ridge High School
Federal NCES profile for Mesa Ridge High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080648001588
👥 S:T ratio 18
📚 AP courses 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mesa Ridge High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Colorado schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado.
- #28 of 29
- high schools in Colorado Springs · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.4:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 16.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Mesa Ridge High School has class sizes larger than 87% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mesa Ridge High School ranks #28 of 29 high schools in Colorado Springs, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080648001588 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.4:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
16.9%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mesa Ridge High School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mesa Ridge High School
Mesa Ridge High School is a lower-poverty, large high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, enrolling 1,304 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.4:1 is larger than about 87% of Colorado schools and 23% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 16.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Colorado, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,304 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 106 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #85, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 8 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 326 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of spends $11,395 per pupil, 30% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of also operates Widefield High School (1,193 students) and Grand Mountain School (1,044 students) alongside Mesa Ridge High 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 Ridge High School compares
Mesa Ridge High 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 | 20.4:1 | ▲ 23% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.9% | ▼ 56% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,304 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.4:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,304
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
16.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
20.4:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 87% in Colorado - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
37.7%
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
$11,395
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 326 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 223 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
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 38.7%
Hispanic or Latino 33.7%
African American 12.1%
Two or More 11.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.5%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Largest group: White at 38.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.8, Mesa Ridge High School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 8
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of, which includes Mesa Ridge High School.
$11,395
Per student
-30%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.7%
State 56.9%
Federal 12.4%
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 Ridge High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Widefield High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Grand Mountain School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Janitell Junior High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Webster Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sunrise Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mesa Ridge High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,193
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,044
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 658
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 582
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 506
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar high 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 (~1,304 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mesa Ridge High School's federal record.
- Compare Mesa Ridge High School against another school. Compare schools
- School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of'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 Ridge High School
How many students attend Mesa Ridge High School?
Mesa Ridge High School has 1,304 students enrolled. It is a high school in Colorado Springs, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mesa Ridge High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mesa Ridge High School is 20.4:1, which is 23% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 30% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mesa Ridge High School?
16.9% of students at Mesa Ridge High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mesa Ridge High School?
The largest demographic group at Mesa Ridge High School is White at 38.7% of enrollment, in Colorado Springs, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mesa Ridge High School?
Mesa Ridge High School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mesa Ridge High School rank among high schools in Colorado Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Mesa Ridge High School ranks #28 of 29 high schools in Colorado Springs, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Colorado Springs on the city page.
Is Mesa Ridge High School a good school?
Mesa Ridge High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Colorado schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado. 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 School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of?
Besides Mesa Ridge High School, School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of also operates Widefield High School (1,193 students), Grand Mountain School (1,044 students), and Janitell Junior High School (658 students). See the School District No. 3 in the County of El Paso and State of 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.