Enrollment
292
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Elizabeth, CO
Running Creek Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Running Creek Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080372001479
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Running Creek Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Colorado schools.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Elizabeth · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.2:1
- small classes for Colorado
- 14.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Running Creek Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 82% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Running Creek Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Elizabeth, CO.
School address
District: Elizabeth School District · Colorado
NCES ID 080372001479 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.9%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Running Creek Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Running Creek Elementary School
Running Creek Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Elizabeth, Colorado, enrolling 292 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 14.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 292 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 251 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #112.
Its student body is led by White (78%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 36/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 292 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Elizabeth School District spends $11,990 per pupil, 26% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Elizabeth School District also operates Elizabeth High School (668 students) and Legacy Academy (428 students) alongside Running Creek 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 Running Creek Elementary School compares
Running Creek 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 | 12.2:1 | ▼ 27% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.9% | ▼ 61% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 292 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
292
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% 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
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 27% below state mean
Top 18% in Colorado - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
31.5%
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
$11,990
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 292 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 78.4%
Hispanic or Latino 16.1%
Two or More 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
African American 0.7%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 78.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.8, Running Creek Elementary School is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Elizabeth School District, which includes Running Creek Elementary School.
$11,990
Per student
-26%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.8%
State 45.4%
Federal 10.8%
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 Running Creek Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Legacy Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Elizabeth Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Singing Hills Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Singing Hills Preschool | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Running Creek Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 668
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 428
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 386
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 383
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 72
- Students per teacher
- 72:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary 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 (~292 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Running Creek Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Running Creek Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Elizabeth School District'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 Running Creek Elementary School
How many students attend Running Creek Elementary School?
Running Creek Elementary School has 292 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Elizabeth, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Running Creek Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Running Creek Elementary School is 12.2:1, which is 27% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 22% 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 Running Creek Elementary School?
14.9% of students at Running Creek Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Running Creek Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Running Creek Elementary School is White at 78.4% of enrollment, in Elizabeth, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Running Creek Elementary School?
Running Creek Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Running Creek Elementary School rank among public schools in Elizabeth?
By Resource Investment Index, Running Creek Elementary School ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Elizabeth, 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 Elizabeth on the city page.
Is Running Creek Elementary School a good school?
Running Creek Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% 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 Elizabeth School District?
Besides Running Creek Elementary School, Elizabeth School District also operates Elizabeth High School (668 students), Legacy Academy (428 students), and Elizabeth Middle School (386 students). See the Elizabeth School District 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.