- Enrollment
- 2,052
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Thornton, CO
Prairie Hills Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Hills Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080690001945
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Hills Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #1 of 8
- elementary schools in Thornton · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 15.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Hills Elementary School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Hills Elementary School ranks #1 of 8 elementary schools in Thornton, CO.
School address
District: Adams 12 Five Star Schools · Colorado
NCES ID 080690001945 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-33 students YoY
Prairie Hills Elementary School shrank from 449 students in 2022-23 to 416 in 2023-24 (-7.3%).
Teacher FTE lost 24.0 → 23.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-33 students YoY 080690001945 · Thornton, CO Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
378 enr · 15.8:1 · 15.4% lunch · RII 51
Nearest enrollment peer: Legacy High School (2,052 students)
Prairie Hills Elementary School shrank from 449 students in 2022-23 to 416 in 2023-24 (-7.3%). Teacher FTE lost 24.0 → 23.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Colorado schools → · Find another →
Prairie Hills Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Legacy High Sc
Legacy High School
2,052 students
- Horizon High S
Horizon High School
1,966 students
- Northglenn Hig
Northglenn High School
1,844 students
- Mountain Range
Mountain Range High School
1,788 students
- Stargate Chart
Stargate Charter School
1,572 students
- This school 378
Prairie Hills Elementary School
378 students
What this shows Prairie Hills Elementary School reports 378 students on the CCD universe file.
How Prairie Hills Elementary School compares
Prairie Hills Elementary School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 | 15.4% | ▼ 60% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 378 | top 47% | - | - |
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.
378
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
15.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% 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.
Engagement
21.7%
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
$14,748
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $17,910
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
5
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 56.9%
Hispanic or Latino 25.4%
Asian 10.1%
Two or More 6.6%
African American 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 56.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.7, Prairie Hills Elementary School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Adams 12 Five Star Schools reports $14,748 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Prairie Hills Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horizon High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northglenn High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain Range High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stargate Charter School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Hills Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~378 students)
Frequently asked questions about Prairie Hills Elementary School
How many students attend Prairie Hills Elementary School?
Prairie Hills Elementary School has 378 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Thornton, CO. CCD year-over-year: 449 (2022-23) → 416 (2023-24), down 33.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Hills Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Hills 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 Prairie Hills Elementary School?
15.4% of students at Prairie Hills Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Hills Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Hills Elementary School is White at 56.9% of enrollment, in Thornton, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Hills Elementary School?
Prairie Hills Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Prairie Hills Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Thornton?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Hills Elementary School ranks #1 of 8 elementary schools in Thornton, 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 Thornton on the city page.
What other schools are in Adams 12 Five Star Schools?
Besides Prairie Hills 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.