Enrollment
350
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Denver, CO
Polaris Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Polaris Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 60/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080336001767
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Polaris Elementary School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Colorado schools.
- #1 of 31
- elementary schools in Denver · Resource Index
- 60
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.4:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 6.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Polaris Elementary School has class sizes larger than 75% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Polaris Elementary School ranks #1 of 31 elementary schools in Denver, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080336001767 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.4:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
6.4%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-83% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Polaris Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Polaris Elementary School
Polaris Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Denver, Colorado, enrolling 350 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 6.4% free-meal eligibility runs 83% below the Colorado average.
With 350 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 90% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 211 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #9, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Two or More (15%) (diversity index 63/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.3% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C also operates East High School (2,476 students) and Northfield High School (2,137 students) alongside Polaris 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 Polaris Elementary School compares
Polaris 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 | 18.4:1 | ▲ 11% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 6.4% | ▼ 83% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 350 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
350
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
6.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 83% 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
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 75% in Colorado - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
6.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$15,336
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 56.6%
Two or More 15.4%
Hispanic or Latino 14.0%
Asian 9.7%
African American 4.3%
Largest group: White at 56.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.5, Polaris 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 School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C, which includes Polaris Elementary School.
$15,336
Per student
-6%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 70.4%
State 16.8%
Federal 12.8%
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 Polaris Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northfield High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Polaris Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,476
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,137
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,950
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,653
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,390
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
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 (~350 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Polaris Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Polaris Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C'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 Polaris Elementary School
How many students attend Polaris Elementary School?
Polaris Elementary School has 350 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Denver, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Polaris Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Polaris Elementary School is 18.4:1, which is 11% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Polaris Elementary School?
6.4% of students at Polaris Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Polaris Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Polaris Elementary School is White at 56.6% of enrollment, in Denver, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Polaris Elementary School?
Polaris Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 60/100 (higher 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 Polaris Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Denver?
By Resource Investment Index, Polaris Elementary School ranks #1 of 31 elementary 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 elementary schools in Denver on the city page.
Is Polaris Elementary School a good school?
Polaris Elementary School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of 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 School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C?
Besides Polaris Elementary School, School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C also operates East High School (2,476 students), Northfield High School (2,137 students), and South High School (1,950 students). See the School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C 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.