Enrollment
855
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Thornton, CO
Rodger Quist Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Rodger Quist Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080258006753
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rodger Quist Middle School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Colorado schools.
- #5 of 5
- middle schools in Thornton · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 18.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Rodger Quist Middle School has class sizes larger than 79% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rodger Quist Middle School ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Thornton, CO.
School address
District: School District 27j · Colorado
NCES ID 080258006753 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.9%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rodger Quist Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rodger Quist Middle School
Rodger Quist Middle School is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Thornton, Colorado, enrolling 855 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 18.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Colorado, bigger than 90% of state schools at 855 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 220 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #205, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (42%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 855 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.3% 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.
Discipline events run high: 186 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 855 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
School District 27j also operates Colorado Connections Academy (2,042 students) and Prairie View High School (1,809 students) alongside Rodger Quist 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 Rodger Quist Middle School compares
Rodger Quist 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 | 19:1 | ▲ 14% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.9% | ▼ 51% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 855 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
855
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% 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
19:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 79% in Colorado - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.3%
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 855 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
84
in-school suspensions + 102 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.8 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
Hispanic or Latino 44.3%
White 41.5%
Asian 8.0%
Two or More 4.4%
African American 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.3, Rodger Quist Middle School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School District 27j, which includes Rodger Quist Middle 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 Rodger Quist Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Connections Academy | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Prairie View High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Riverdale Ridge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brighton High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bromley East Charter School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rodger Quist Middle 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
- 1,784
- Students per teacher
- 29.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- 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
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 (~855 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rodger Quist Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Rodger Quist Middle 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 Rodger Quist Middle School
How many students attend Rodger Quist Middle School?
Rodger Quist Middle School has 855 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Thornton, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rodger Quist Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Rodger Quist Middle School is 19:1, which is 14% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Rodger Quist Middle School?
18.9% of students at Rodger Quist Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rodger Quist Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Rodger Quist Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 44.3% of enrollment, in Thornton, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rodger Quist Middle School?
Rodger Quist Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (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 Rodger Quist Middle School rank among middle schools in Thornton?
By Resource Investment Index, Rodger Quist Middle School ranks #5 of 5 middle 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 middle schools in Thornton on the city page.
Is Rodger Quist Middle School a good school?
Rodger Quist Middle School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Colorado schools. 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 Rodger Quist Middle School, School District 27j also operates Colorado Connections Academy (2,042 students), Prairie View High School (1,809 students), and Riverdale Ridge High School (1,784 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.