- Enrollment
- 3,852
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Aurora, CO
Prairie Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080291000201
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado.
- #14 of 16
- middle schools in Aurora · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.4:1
- students per teacher
- 57.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Middle School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Middle School ranks #14 of 16 middle schools in Aurora, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080291000201 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-21 students YoY
Prairie Middle School held near 1,362 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-21 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 91.9 → 89.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-21 students YoY 080291000201 · Aurora, CO Middle · MID · TRAD
1,491 enr · 16.4:1 · 57.2% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: Cherry Creek High School (3,852 students)
Prairie Middle School held near 1,362 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-21 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 91.9 → 89.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Colorado schools → · Find another →
Prairie Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Cherry Creek H
Cherry Creek High School
3,852 students
- Cherokee Trail
Cherokee Trail High School
3,089 students
- Eaglecrest Hig
Eaglecrest High School
2,851 students
- Grandview High
Grandview High School
2,684 students
- Smoky Hill Hig
Smoky Hill High School
2,297 students
- This school 1,491
Prairie Middle School
1,491 students
What this shows Prairie Middle School reports 1,491 students on the CCD universe file.
How Prairie Middle School compares
Prairie Middle School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.4:1 | ▼ 1% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.2% | ▲ 49% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,491 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,491
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
57.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% 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
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 57% in Colorado - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$15,158
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 497 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
27
in-school suspensions + 351 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 31 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 47.3%
African American 20.5%
White 16.8%
Two or More 8.7%
Asian 5.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 47.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.5, Prairie Middle School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah reports $15,158 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Prairie Middle 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 | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grandview High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Smoky Hill High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
Nationwide middle 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 (~1,491 students)
Frequently asked questions about Prairie Middle School
How many students attend Prairie Middle School?
Prairie Middle School has 1,491 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Aurora, CO. CCD year-over-year: 1,383 (2022-23) → 1,362 (2023-24), nearly flat (-21).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Middle School is 16.4:1, which is 1% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 4% 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 Middle School?
57.2% of students at Prairie Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 47.3% of enrollment, in Aurora, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Middle School?
Prairie Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Prairie Middle School rank among middle schools in Aurora?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Middle School ranks #14 of 16 middle 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 middle schools in Aurora on the city page.
What other schools are in Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the County of Arapah?
Besides Prairie Middle 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.