Enrollment
320
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Denver, CO
North Star Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for North Star Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080690001185
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Star Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #70 of 125
- schools in Denver · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.5:1
- students per teacher
- 70.9%
- free-lunch eligible
North Star Elementary School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Star Elementary School ranks #70 of 125 schools in Denver, CO.
School address
District: Adams 12 Five Star Schools · Colorado
NCES ID 080690001185 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.9%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+84% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Star Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Star Elementary School
North Star Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Denver, Colorado, enrolling 320 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 70.9% of students qualify for free meals, 84% above the Colorado average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 320 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.
Against 202 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #129.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 57.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Adams 12 Five Star Schools also operates Legacy High School (2,052 students) and Horizon High School (1,966 students) alongside North Star 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 North Star Elementary School compares
North Star 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 | 14.5:1 | ▼ 13% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.9% | ▲ 84% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 320 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
320
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 84% 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
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 37% in Colorado - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
57.8%
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
$13,222
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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
Hispanic or Latino 82.8%
White 9.7%
African American 4.7%
Two or More 1.9%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 82.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.2, North Star Elementary School is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Adams 12 Five Star Schools, which includes North Star Elementary School.
$13,222
Per student
-19%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.4%
State 44.8%
Federal 9.8%
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 North Star Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horizon High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northglenn High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain Range High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stargate Charter School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Star Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,052
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,966
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,844
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,788
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,572
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar other 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 (~320 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Star Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare North Star Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Adams 12 Five Star Schools'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 North Star Elementary School
How many students attend North Star Elementary School?
North Star Elementary School has 320 students enrolled. It is a public school in Denver, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Star Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at North Star Elementary School is 14.5:1, which is 13% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North Star Elementary School?
70.9% of students at North Star Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Star Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at North Star Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 82.8% of enrollment, in Denver, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Star Elementary School?
North Star Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does North Star Elementary School rank among schools in Denver?
By Resource Investment Index, North Star Elementary School ranks #70 of 125 schools in Denver, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Denver on the city page.
Is North Star Elementary School a good school?
North Star Elementary School earns 37/100 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 Adams 12 Five Star Schools?
Besides North Star Elementary School, Adams 12 Five Star Schools also operates Legacy High School (2,052 students), Horizon High School (1,966 students), and Northglenn High School (1,844 students). See the Adams 12 Five Star Schools 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.