- Enrollment
- 2,044
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Fort Collins, CO
Preston Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Preston Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080399001091
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 72
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Preston Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Colorado schools.
- #6 of 7
- middle schools in Fort Collins · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.3:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 14.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Preston Middle School has class sizes larger than 74% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Preston Middle School ranks #6 of 7 middle schools in Fort Collins, CO.
School address
District: Poudre School District R-1 · Colorado
NCES ID 080399001091 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+4 students YoY
Preston Middle School held near 549 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+4 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 31.5 → 29.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+4 students YoY 080399001091 · Fort Collins, CO Middle · MID · TRAD
568 enr · 18.3:1 · 14.1% lunch · RII 42
Nearest enrollment peer: Rocky Mountain High School (2,044 students)
Preston Middle School held near 549 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+4 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 31.5 → 29.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Colorado schools → · Find another →
Preston Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Rocky Mountain
Rocky Mountain High School
2,044 students
- Fossil Ridge H
Fossil Ridge High School
1,846 students
- Fort Collins H
Fort Collins High School
1,836 students
- Liberty Common
Liberty Common Charter School
1,516 students
- Timnath Middle
Timnath Middle-High School
1,456 students
- This school 568
Preston Middle School
568 students
What this shows Preston Middle School reports 568 students on the CCD universe file.
How Preston Middle School compares
Preston 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 | 18.3:1 | ▲ 10% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.1% | ▼ 63% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 568 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.3:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
568
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
14.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% 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
18.3:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 74% in Colorado - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
45.1%
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
$14,986
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 142 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
White 73.8%
Hispanic or Latino 16.5%
Asian 3.9%
Two or More 3.5%
African American 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 73.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.5, Preston Middle School is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Poudre School District R-1 reports $14,986 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Preston Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountain High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fossil Ridge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fort Collins High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Liberty Common Charter School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Timnath Middle-High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Preston Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,846
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,836
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 1,516
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,456
- Students per teacher
- 28:1
- Resource Index
- 0/100
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 (~568 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.3:1)
Frequently asked questions about Preston Middle School
How many students attend Preston Middle School?
Preston Middle School has 568 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Fort Collins, CO. CCD year-over-year: 545 (2022-23) → 549 (2023-24), nearly flat (+4).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Preston Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Preston Middle School is 18.3:1, which is 10% 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 Preston Middle School?
14.1% of students at Preston Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Preston Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Preston Middle School is White at 73.8% of enrollment, in Fort Collins, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Preston Middle School?
Preston Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Preston Middle School rank among middle schools in Fort Collins?
By Resource Investment Index, Preston Middle School ranks #6 of 7 middle schools in Fort Collins, 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 Fort Collins on the city page.
What other schools are in Poudre School District R-1?
Besides Preston Middle School, Poudre School District R-1 also operates Rocky Mountain High School (2,044 students), Fossil Ridge High School (1,846 students), and Fort Collins High School (1,836 students). See the Poudre School District R-1 district page for the complete list.