Enrollment
512
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Aurora, CO
Side Creek Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Side Creek Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080234001432
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Side Creek Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Colorado schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Colorado schools.
- #43 of 70
- schools in Aurora · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.5:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 59.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Side Creek Elementary School has class sizes larger than 88% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Side Creek Elementary School ranks #43 of 70 schools in Aurora, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080234001432 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.5:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.9%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Side Creek Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Side Creek Elementary School
Side Creek Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Aurora, Colorado, enrolling 512 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.5:1 is larger than about 88% of Colorado schools and 23% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 59.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 512 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 247 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #94.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (40%) and White (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a also operates Aurora Central Campus (2,468 students) and Rangeview High School (2,078 students) alongside Side 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 Side Creek Elementary School compares
Side 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 | 20.5:1 | ▲ 23% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.9% | ▲ 56% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 512 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.5:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
512
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
20.5:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 88% in Colorado - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Funding equity
$16,314
per pupil, district-wide
- above Colorado avg of $16,273
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 35 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 40.4%
White 19.7%
African American 17.4%
Two or More 14.6%
Asian 5.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.3, Side Creek Elementary School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a, which includes Side Creek Elementary School.
$16,314
Per student
+0%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-2%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.4%
State 41.1%
Federal 12.5%
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 Side Creek Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora Central Campus | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rangeview High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gateway High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hinkley High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Side Creek Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,468
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,078
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,045
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,748
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,527
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
Similar other 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 (~512 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Side Creek Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Side Creek Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a'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 Side Creek Elementary School
How many students attend Side Creek Elementary School?
Side Creek Elementary School has 512 students enrolled. It is a public school in Aurora, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Side Creek Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Side Creek Elementary School is 20.5:1, which is 23% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Side Creek Elementary School?
59.9% of students at Side Creek Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Side Creek Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Side Creek Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 40.4% of enrollment, in Aurora, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Side Creek Elementary School?
Side Creek Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Side Creek Elementary School rank among schools in Aurora?
By Resource Investment Index, Side Creek Elementary School ranks #43 of 70 schools in Aurora, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Aurora on the city page.
Is Side Creek Elementary School a good school?
Side Creek Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Colorado schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a?
Besides Side Creek Elementary School, Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a also operates Aurora Central Campus (2,468 students), Rangeview High School (2,078 students), and Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory (2,045 students). See the Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a 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.