Enrollment
552
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Rifle, CO
Rifle Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Rifle Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080624001096
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rifle Middle School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #5 of 5
- public schools in Rifle · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.3:1
- students per teacher
- 43.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Rifle Middle School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rifle Middle School ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Rifle, CO.
School address
District: Garfield School District No. Re-2 · Colorado
NCES ID 080624001096 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.3:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.5%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rifle Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rifle Middle School
Rifle Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Rifle, Colorado, enrolling 552 students.
At 15.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Colorado median, within a few percentage points of the 16.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 43.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 552 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 241 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #215, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (63%) and White (34%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 552 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Garfield School District No. Re-2 spends $12,122 per pupil, 26% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 316 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 552 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Garfield School District No. Re-2 also operates Rifle High School (778 students) and Coal Ridge High School (578 students) alongside Rifle Middle 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 Rifle Middle School compares
Rifle Middle 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 | 15.3:1 | ▼ 8% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.5% | ▲ 13% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 552 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
552
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 45% in Colorado - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
54.9%
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
$12,122
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 552 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
278
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 50.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 57.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
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 62.9%
White 34.2%
Two or More 1.6%
Asian 0.5%
African American 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 62.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.7, Rifle Middle School is about as mixed as the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Garfield School District No. Re-2, which includes Rifle Middle School.
$12,122
Per student
-26%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.7%
State 55.9%
Federal 6.5%
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 Rifle Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Coal Ridge High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Riverside School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cactus Valley Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Highland Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rifle Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 778
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 578
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 483
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 462
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 451
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar middle 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 (~552 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rifle Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Rifle Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Garfield School District No. Re-2'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 Rifle Middle School
How many students attend Rifle Middle School?
Rifle Middle School has 552 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Rifle, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rifle Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Rifle Middle School is 15.3:1, which is 8% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 3% 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 Rifle Middle School?
43.5% of students at Rifle Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rifle Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Rifle Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 62.9% of enrollment, in Rifle, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rifle Middle School?
Rifle Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Rifle Middle School rank among public schools in Rifle?
By Resource Investment Index, Rifle Middle School ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Rifle, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Rifle on the city page.
Is Rifle Middle School a good school?
Rifle Middle School earns 27/100 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 Garfield School District No. Re-2?
Besides Rifle Middle School, Garfield School District No. Re-2 also operates Rifle High School (778 students), Coal Ridge High School (578 students), and Riverside School (483 students). See the Garfield School District No. Re-2 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.