Enrollment
337
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Brighton, CO
South Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080258000150
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 72% of Colorado schools.
- #6 of 10
- schools in Brighton · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.5:1
- small classes for Colorado
- 68.1%
- free-lunch eligible
South Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 72% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Elementary School ranks #6 of 10 schools in Brighton, CO.
School address
District: School District 27j · Colorado
NCES ID 080258000150 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.1%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+77% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Elementary School
South Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Brighton, Colorado, enrolling 337 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 68.1% of students qualify for free meals, 77% above the Colorado average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 337 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 226 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #213, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 337 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 60.8% 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.
School District 27j also operates Colorado Connections Academy (2,042 students) and Prairie View High School (1,809 students) alongside South 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 South Elementary School compares
South 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 19% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.1% | ▲ 77% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 337 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
337
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 77% above the Colorado average of 38.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 28% in Colorado - lower ratio than 72% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
60.8%
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 337 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.9 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 86.9%
White 9.8%
Two or More 1.2%
African American 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 86.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.5, South Elementary School is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School District 27j, which includes South Elementary 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 South Elementary 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 | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Riverdale Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brighton High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bromley East Charter School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Elementary 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 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 (~337 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Elementary 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 South Elementary School
How many students attend South Elementary School?
South Elementary School has 337 students enrolled. It is a public school in Brighton, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Elementary School is 13.5:1, which is 19% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 14% 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 South Elementary School?
68.1% of students at South Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 86.9% of enrollment, in Brighton, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Elementary School?
South Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (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 South Elementary School rank among schools in Brighton?
By Resource Investment Index, South Elementary School ranks #6 of 10 schools in Brighton, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Brighton on the city page.
Is South Elementary School a good school?
South Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 72% 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 South Elementary 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.