Enrollment
1,279
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Montrose, CO
Montrose High School
Federal NCES profile for Montrose High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080579000992
👥 S:T ratio 19
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Montrose High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Colorado schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Montrose · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.3:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 34.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Montrose High School has class sizes larger than 87% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Montrose High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Montrose, CO.
School address
District: Montrose County School District Re-1j · Colorado
NCES ID 080579000992 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
63.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.3:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.0%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Montrose High School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Montrose High School
Montrose High School is a large high school in Montrose, Colorado, enrolling 1,279 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.3:1 is larger than about 87% of Colorado schools and 22% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 34.0% lands close to the Colorado typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Colorado, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,279 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 66 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #49, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and Hispanic or Latino (37%) (diversity index 52/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 295 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 57.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Montrose County School District Re-1j spends $10,606 per pupil, 35% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 11 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Montrose County School District Re-1j also operates Centennial Middle School (540 students) and Johnson Elementary School (531 students) alongside Montrose 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 Montrose High School compares
Montrose 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 | 20.3:1 | ▲ 22% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.0% | ▼ 12% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,279 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.3:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,279
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
20.3:1
students per teacher
- 22% 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
57.2%
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
$10,606
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
Counselors4.3 FTE
Per 295 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 90 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 11 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 58.7%
Hispanic or Latino 36.6%
Two or More 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 58.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.0, Montrose High School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montrose County School District Re-1j, which includes Montrose High School.
$10,606
Per student
-35%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.8%
State 53.3%
Federal 17.9%
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 Montrose High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centennial Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Johnson Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Olathe Middle/High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Columbine Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Olathe Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Montrose High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 540
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 531
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 499
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 491
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- 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 (~1,279 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Montrose High School's federal record.
- Compare Montrose High School against another school. Compare schools
- Montrose County School District Re-1j'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 Montrose High School
How many students attend Montrose High School?
Montrose High School has 1,279 students enrolled. It is a high school in Montrose, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Montrose High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Montrose High School is 20.3:1, which is 22% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 29% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Montrose High School?
34.0% of students at Montrose High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Montrose High School?
The largest demographic group at Montrose High School is White at 58.7% of enrollment, in Montrose, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Montrose High School?
Montrose High School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Montrose High School rank among high schools in Montrose?
By Resource Investment Index, Montrose High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Montrose, 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 Montrose on the city page.
Is Montrose High School a good school?
Montrose High School earns 40/100 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 Montrose County School District Re-1j?
Besides Montrose High School, Montrose County School District Re-1j also operates Centennial Middle School (540 students), Johnson Elementary School (531 students), and Olathe Middle/High School (499 students). See the Montrose County School District Re-1j 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.