Enrollment
523
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fort Carson, CO
Patriot Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Patriot Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080408000565
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Patriot Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Colorado schools.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Fort Carson · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 22.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Patriot Elementary School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Patriot Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Fort Carson, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080408000565 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.7%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Patriot Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Patriot Elementary School
Patriot Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Fort Carson, Colorado, enrolling 523 students.
At 15.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Colorado median, within a few percentage points of the 16.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 523 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 376 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #297, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 523 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
The surrounding Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an spends $12,970 per pupil, 20% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 37.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an also operates Fountain-Fort Carson High School (1,974 students) and Fountain Middle School (1,051 students) alongside Patriot 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 Patriot Elementary School compares
Patriot 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 | 15.8:1 | ▼ 5% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.7% | ▼ 41% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 523 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
523
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 51% in Colorado - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$12,970
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 523 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.6 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 45.9%
Hispanic or Latino 28.1%
African American 10.9%
Two or More 9.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.5%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: White at 45.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.8, Patriot Elementary School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an, which includes Patriot Elementary School.
$12,970
Per student
-20%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 5.9%
State 56.6%
Federal 37.4%
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 Patriot Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fountain-Fort Carson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fountain Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Weikel Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mesa Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carson Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Patriot Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,974
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,051
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 814
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 668
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 657
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
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 (~523 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Patriot Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Patriot Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an'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 Patriot Elementary School
How many students attend Patriot Elementary School?
Patriot Elementary School has 523 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fort Carson, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Patriot Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Patriot Elementary School is 15.8:1, which is 5% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 1% higher 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 Patriot Elementary School?
22.7% of students at Patriot Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Patriot Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Patriot Elementary School is White at 45.9% of enrollment, in Fort Carson, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Patriot Elementary School?
Patriot Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Patriot Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Fort Carson?
By Resource Investment Index, Patriot Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Fort Carson, 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 Fort Carson on the city page.
Is Patriot Elementary School a good school?
Patriot Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Colorado schools. 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 Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an?
Besides Patriot Elementary School, Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an also operates Fountain-Fort Carson High School (1,974 students), Fountain Middle School (1,051 students), and Weikel Elementary School (814 students). See the Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Compare schools
Side-by-side comparison tool
Schools in Colorado
All public schools in Colorado
Fountain School District No. 8 in the County of El Paso an
All schools in this district
Schools in Fort Carson
All schools in this city
School districts
Ranked by enrollment & spending
Rankings
Best schools by state & type
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.