Enrollment
843
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Colorado Springs, CO
Sierra High School
Federal NCES profile for Sierra High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080453001382
👥 S:T ratio 41
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sierra High School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #6 of 29
- high schools in Colorado Springs · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 53.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Sierra High School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sierra High School ranks #6 of 29 high schools in Colorado Springs, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080453001382 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
57.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.3%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sierra High School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sierra High School
Sierra High School is a higher-need, large high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, enrolling 843 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 53.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Colorado, bigger than 90% of state schools at 843 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 101 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #9, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and African American (17%) (diversity index 63/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 205 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
The surrounding Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an spends $11,944 per pupil, 27% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 394 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 843 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an also operates Harrison High School (1,089 students) and The Vanguard School (Elementary) (949 students) alongside Sierra 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 Sierra High School compares
Sierra 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 | 14.8:1 | ▼ 11% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.3% | ▲ 38% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 843 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
843
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% 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
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 39% in Colorado - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$11,944
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
Counselors4.1 FTE
Per 205 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
114
in-school suspensions + 280 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 46.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 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 56.2%
African American 17.3%
White 15.3%
Two or More 7.0%
Asian 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.5, Sierra 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 Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an, which includes Sierra High School.
$11,944
Per student
-27%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.7%
State 60.0%
Federal 15.3%
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 Sierra High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| The Vanguard School (Elementary) | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Soaring Eagles Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sand Creek International School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mountain Vista Community School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sierra High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,089
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 949
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 764
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 595
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 590
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
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 (~843 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sierra High School's federal record.
- Compare Sierra High School against another school. Compare schools
- Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an'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 Sierra High School
How many students attend Sierra High School?
Sierra High School has 843 students enrolled. It is a high school in Colorado Springs, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sierra High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sierra High School is 14.8:1, which is 11% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 6% 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 Sierra High School?
53.3% of students at Sierra High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sierra High School?
The largest demographic group at Sierra High School is Hispanic or Latino at 56.2% of enrollment, in Colorado Springs, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sierra High School?
Sierra High School has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Sierra High School rank among high schools in Colorado Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Sierra High School ranks #6 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 Sierra High School a good school?
Sierra High School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. 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 Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an?
Besides Sierra High School, Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an also operates Harrison High School (1,089 students), The Vanguard School (Elementary) (949 students), and Soaring Eagles Elementary School (764 students). See the Harrison School District No. 2 in the County of El Paso an 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.