Enrollment
1,784
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Thornton, CO
Riverdale Ridge High School
Federal NCES profile for Riverdale Ridge High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080258006738
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Riverdale Ridge High School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Colorado schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado.
- #6 of 6
- high schools in Thornton · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 29.7:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 20.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Riverdale Ridge High School has class sizes larger than 97% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Riverdale Ridge High School ranks #6 of 6 high schools in Thornton, CO.
School address
District: School District 27j · Colorado
NCES ID 080258006738 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
29.7:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+79% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.5%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Riverdale Ridge High School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Riverdale Ridge High School
Riverdale Ridge High School is a large high school in Thornton, Colorado, enrolling 1,784 students.
Class loads run heavy: 29.7:1 is larger than about 97% of Colorado schools and 79% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 20.5% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Colorado, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,784 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 74 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #67, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and White (42%) (diversity index 62/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1784 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding School District 27j spends $10,462 per pupil, 36% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
School District 27j also operates Colorado Connections Academy (2,042 students) and Prairie View High School (1,809 students) alongside Riverdale Ridge High 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 Riverdale Ridge High School compares
Riverdale Ridge High 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 | 29.7:1 | ▲ 79% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.5% | ▼ 47% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,784 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
29.7:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,784
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
29.7:1
students per teacher
- 79% above state mean
Top 97% in Colorado - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
29.5%
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
$10,462
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 1784 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
97
in-school suspensions + 77 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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 44.5%
White 42.4%
Asian 5.9%
Two or More 4.9%
African American 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.6, Riverdale Ridge High School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School District 27j, which includes Riverdale Ridge High School.
$10,462
Per student
-36%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.5%
State 47.7%
Federal 7.8%
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 Riverdale Ridge High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Connections Academy | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Prairie View High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Brighton High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bromley East Charter School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rodger Quist Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Riverdale Ridge High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,042
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 0/100
- Enrollment
- 1,809
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,733
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,214
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar high 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 (~1,784 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Riverdale Ridge High School's federal record.
- Compare Riverdale Ridge High School against another school. Compare schools
- School District 27j'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 Riverdale Ridge High School
How many students attend Riverdale Ridge High School?
Riverdale Ridge High School has 1,784 students enrolled. It is a high school in Thornton, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Riverdale Ridge High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Riverdale Ridge High School is 29.7:1, which is 79% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 89% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Riverdale Ridge High School?
20.5% of students at Riverdale Ridge High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Riverdale Ridge High School?
The largest demographic group at Riverdale Ridge High School is Hispanic or Latino at 44.5% of enrollment, in Thornton, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Riverdale Ridge High School?
Riverdale Ridge High School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Riverdale Ridge High School rank among high schools in Thornton?
By Resource Investment Index, Riverdale Ridge High School ranks #6 of 6 high 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 high schools in Thornton on the city page.
Is Riverdale Ridge High School a good school?
Riverdale Ridge High School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Colorado schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado. 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 School District 27j?
Besides Riverdale Ridge High School, School District 27j also operates Colorado Connections Academy (2,042 students), Prairie View High School (1,809 students), and Brighton High School (1,733 students). See the School District 27j 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.