Enrollment
138
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Grand Junction, CO
New Emerson School at Columbus
Federal NCES profile for New Emerson School at Columbus, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080435001552
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
New Emerson School at Columbus earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Grand Junction · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.3:1
- students per teacher
- 5.0%
- free-lunch eligible
New Emerson School at Columbus has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, New Emerson School at Columbus ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Grand Junction, CO.
School address
District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 · Colorado
NCES ID 080435001552 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.3:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
5.0%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-87% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How New Emerson School at Columbus compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at New Emerson School at Columbus
New Emerson School at Columbus is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Grand Junction, Colorado, enrolling 138 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 5.0% free-meal eligibility runs 87% below the Colorado average.
Enrollment of 138 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 31 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #16.
Its student body is predominantly White (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 31/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 288 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
13.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 spends $11,650 per pupil, 28% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 also operates Grand Junction High School (1,832 students) and Fruita Monument High School (1,427 students) alongside New Emerson School at Columbus.
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 New Emerson School at Columbus compares
New Emerson School at Columbus on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.3:1 | ▲ 4% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 5.0% | ▼ 87% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 138 | top 84% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
138
Bigger than 13% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
5.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 87% below the Colorado average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 66% in Colorado - lower ratio than 34% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,650
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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 82.6%
Hispanic or Latino 10.1%
Two or More 3.6%
Asian 2.2%
African American 1.4%
Largest group: White at 82.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.6, New Emerson School at Columbus is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mesa County Valley School District No. 51, which includes New Emerson School at Columbus.
$11,650
Per student
-28%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.9%
State 46.3%
Federal 14.7%
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 New Emerson School at Columbus Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita Monument High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palisade High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita 8/9 School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to New Emerson School at Columbus's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,832
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,427
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,352
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,073
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 704
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
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 (~138 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on New Emerson School at Columbus's federal record.
- Compare New Emerson School at Columbus against another school. Compare schools
- Mesa County Valley School District No. 51'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 New Emerson School at Columbus
How many students attend New Emerson School at Columbus?
New Emerson School at Columbus has 138 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Grand Junction, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at New Emerson School at Columbus?
The student-teacher ratio at New Emerson School at Columbus is 17.3:1, which is 4% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at New Emerson School at Columbus?
5.0% of students at New Emerson School at Columbus are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of New Emerson School at Columbus?
The largest demographic group at New Emerson School at Columbus is White at 82.6% of enrollment, in Grand Junction, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for New Emerson School at Columbus?
New Emerson School at Columbus has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher 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 New Emerson School at Columbus rank among elementary schools in Grand Junction?
By Resource Investment Index, New Emerson School at Columbus ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Grand Junction, 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 Grand Junction on the city page.
Is New Emerson School at Columbus a good school?
New Emerson School at Columbus earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. 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 Mesa County Valley School District No. 51?
Besides New Emerson School at Columbus, Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 also operates Grand Junction High School (1,832 students), Fruita Monument High School (1,427 students), and Central High School (1,352 students). See the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 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.