Enrollment
1,426
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Colorado Springs, CO
Sand Creek High School
Federal NCES profile for Sand Creek High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080387001594
👥 S:T ratio 2
📚 AP courses 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sand Creek High School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Colorado schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado.
- #29 of 29
- high schools in Colorado Springs · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.6:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 35.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Sand Creek High School has class sizes larger than 95% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sand Creek High School ranks #29 of 29 high schools in Colorado Springs, CO.
School address
District: El Paso County Colorado School District 49 · Colorado
NCES ID 080387001594 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
58.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.6:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+48% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.3%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sand Creek High School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sand Creek High School
Sand Creek High School is a large high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, enrolling 1,426 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.6:1 is larger than about 95% of Colorado schools and 48% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 35.3% lands close to the Colorado typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Colorado, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,426 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 60 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #58, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 13 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 483 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding El Paso County Colorado School District 49 spends $10,145 per pupil, 38% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
El Paso County Colorado School District 49 also operates Goal Academy (6,693 students) and Banning Lewis Ranch Academy (1,697 students) alongside Sand Creek 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 Sand Creek High School compares
Sand Creek 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 | 24.6:1 | ▲ 48% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.3% | ▼ 8% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,426 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.6:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,426
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
24.6:1
students per teacher
- 48% above state mean
Top 95% in Colorado - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
45.2%
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
$10,145
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 483 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
69
in-school suspensions + 76 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.2 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 39.1%
Hispanic or Latino 35.8%
Two or More 13.0%
African American 8.2%
Asian 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 39.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.4, Sand Creek High School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 13
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for El Paso County Colorado School District 49, which includes Sand Creek High School.
$10,145
Per student
-38%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.9%
State 67.4%
Federal 8.8%
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 Sand Creek High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal Academy | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Banning Lewis Ranch Academy | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Vista Ridge High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Falcon High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rocky Mountain Classical Academy | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sand Creek High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 6,693
- Students per teacher
- 36.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,697
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,473
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,172
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,162
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
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 (~1,426 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sand Creek High School's federal record.
- Compare Sand Creek High School against another school. Compare schools
- El Paso County Colorado School District 49'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 Sand Creek High School
How many students attend Sand Creek High School?
Sand Creek High School has 1,426 students enrolled. It is a high school in Colorado Springs, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sand Creek High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sand Creek High School is 24.6:1, which is 48% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 57% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sand Creek High School?
35.3% of students at Sand Creek High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sand Creek High School?
The largest demographic group at Sand Creek High School is White at 39.1% of enrollment, in Colorado Springs, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sand Creek High School?
Sand Creek High School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (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 Sand Creek High School rank among high schools in Colorado Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Sand Creek High School ranks #29 of 29 high schools in Colorado Springs, 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 Colorado Springs on the city page.
Is Sand Creek High School a good school?
Sand Creek High School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% 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 El Paso County Colorado School District 49?
Besides Sand Creek High School, El Paso County Colorado School District 49 also operates Goal Academy (6,693 students), Banning Lewis Ranch Academy (1,697 students), and Vista Ridge High School (1,473 students). See the El Paso County Colorado School District 49 district page for the complete list.
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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.