Enrollment
634
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Aurora, CO
Ponderosa Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Ponderosa Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080291000200
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ponderosa Elementary School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Colorado schools.
- #31 of 70
- schools in Aurora · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.6:1
- students per teacher
- 60.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Ponderosa Elementary School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ponderosa Elementary School ranks #31 of 70 schools in Aurora, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080291000200 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.2%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ponderosa Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ponderosa Elementary School
Ponderosa Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Aurora, Colorado, enrolling 634 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 60.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 634 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 180 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #43.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and African American (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah also operates Cherry Creek High School (3,852 students) and Cherokee Trail High School (3,089 students) alongside Ponderosa 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 Ponderosa Elementary School compares
Ponderosa 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 | 17.6:1 | ▲ 6% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.2% | ▲ 56% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 634 | top 17% | - | - |
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.
634
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
$14,137
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
16
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.5 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 44.3%
African American 21.9%
White 15.0%
Two or More 10.3%
Asian 7.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.6, Ponderosa 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 Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah, which includes Ponderosa Elementary School.
$14,137
Per student
-13%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.6%
State 43.3%
Federal 8.1%
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 Ponderosa Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Creek High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cherokee Trail High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eaglecrest High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Grandview High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Smoky Hill High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ponderosa Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,852
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 3,089
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,851
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 2,684
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,297
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
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 (~634 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ponderosa Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Ponderosa Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah'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 Ponderosa Elementary School
How many students attend Ponderosa Elementary School?
Ponderosa Elementary School has 634 students enrolled. It is a public school in Aurora, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ponderosa Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ponderosa Elementary 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 Ponderosa Elementary School?
60.2% of students at Ponderosa Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ponderosa Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Ponderosa Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 44.3% of enrollment, in Aurora, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ponderosa Elementary School?
Ponderosa Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Ponderosa Elementary School rank among schools in Aurora?
By Resource Investment Index, Ponderosa Elementary School ranks #31 of 70 schools in Aurora, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Aurora on the city page.
Is Ponderosa Elementary School a good school?
Ponderosa Elementary School earns 50/100 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 Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah?
Besides Ponderosa Elementary School, Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah also operates Cherry Creek High School (3,852 students), Cherokee Trail High School (3,089 students), and Eaglecrest High School (2,851 students). See the Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah 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.