Enrollment
1,265
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Colorado Springs, CO
Palmer High School
Federal NCES profile for Palmer High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080306000257
👥 S:T ratio 30
📚 AP courses 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palmer High School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado.
- #8 of 29
- high schools in Colorado Springs · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.6:1
- students per teacher
- 45.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Palmer High School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palmer High School ranks #8 of 29 high schools in Colorado Springs, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080306000257 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
72.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.9%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Palmer High School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Palmer High School
Palmer High School is a large high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, enrolling 1,265 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 45.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Colorado, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,265 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 51 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (41%) and White (39%) (diversity index 66/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 7 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 158 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Discipline events run high: 262 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,265 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 7 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the County of E also operates Doherty High School (1,715 students) and Coronado High School (1,279 students) alongside Palmer 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 Palmer High School compares
Palmer 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 | 17.6:1 | ▲ 6% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.9% | ▲ 19% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,265 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,265
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% above the Colorado average of 38.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 68% in Colorado - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$14,342
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors8.0 FTE
Per 158 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
114
in-school suspensions + 148 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 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
Hispanic or Latino 41.0%
White 39.1%
African American 9.6%
Two or More 8.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Asian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 41.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.2, Palmer High School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the County of E, which includes Palmer High School.
$14,342
Per student
-12%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.8%
State 40.3%
Federal 11.9%
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 Palmer High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doherty High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Coronado High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jenkins Middle School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mitchell High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palmer High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,715
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,279
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 791
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 757
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 63/100
- Enrollment
- 636
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
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 (~1,265 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Palmer High School's federal record.
- Compare Palmer High School against another school. Compare schools
- Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the County of E'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 Palmer High School
How many students attend Palmer High School?
Palmer High School has 1,265 students enrolled. It is a high school in Colorado Springs, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palmer High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Palmer High School is 17.6:1, which is 6% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Palmer High School?
45.9% of students at Palmer High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palmer High School?
The largest demographic group at Palmer High School is Hispanic or Latino at 41.0% of enrollment, in Colorado Springs, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palmer High School?
Palmer High School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Palmer High School rank among high schools in Colorado Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Palmer High School ranks #8 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 Palmer High School a good school?
Palmer High School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. 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 Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the County of E?
Besides Palmer High School, Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the County of E also operates Doherty High School (1,715 students), Coronado High School (1,279 students), and Jenkins Middle School (791 students). See the Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the County of E 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.