Enrollment
387
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Firestone, CO
Prairie Ridge Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Ridge Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080537001794
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Ridge Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #3 of 3
- schools in Firestone · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 22.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Ridge Elementary School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Ridge Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Firestone, CO.
School address
District: St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j · Colorado
NCES ID 080537001794 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.2%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Prairie Ridge Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Prairie Ridge Elementary School
Prairie Ridge Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Firestone, Colorado, enrolling 387 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 387 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 390 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #343, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 774 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j spends $12,559 per pupil, 23% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j also operates Erie High School (1,727 students) and Niwot High School (1,509 students) alongside Prairie Ridge 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 Prairie Ridge Elementary School compares
Prairie Ridge 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 | 14.9:1 | ▼ 10% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.2% | ▼ 42% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 387 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
387
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% 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
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 40% in Colorado - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.2%
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
$12,559
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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 63.0%
Hispanic or Latino 27.1%
Two or More 4.9%
Asian 3.9%
African American 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 63.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.6, Prairie Ridge 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 St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j, which includes Prairie Ridge Elementary School.
$12,559
Per student
-23%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.1%
State 36.7%
Federal 9.3%
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 Prairie Ridge Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Niwot High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frederick Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Longmont High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Soaring Heights Pk-8 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Ridge Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,727
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,509
- Students per teacher
- 26.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,491
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,268
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,211
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
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 (~387 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Prairie Ridge Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Prairie Ridge Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j'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 Prairie Ridge Elementary School
How many students attend Prairie Ridge Elementary School?
Prairie Ridge Elementary School has 387 students enrolled. It is a public school in Firestone, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Ridge Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Ridge Elementary School is 14.9:1, which is 10% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 5% lower 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 Ridge Elementary School?
22.2% of students at Prairie Ridge Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Ridge Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Ridge Elementary School is White at 63.0% of enrollment, in Firestone, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Ridge Elementary School?
Prairie Ridge Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Prairie Ridge Elementary School rank among schools in Firestone?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Ridge Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Firestone, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Firestone on the city page.
Is Prairie Ridge Elementary School a good school?
Prairie Ridge Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. 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 St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j?
Besides Prairie Ridge Elementary School, St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j also operates Erie High School (1,727 students), Niwot High School (1,509 students), and Frederick Senior High School (1,491 students). See the St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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.