Enrollment
1,950
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Denver, CO
South High School
Federal NCES profile for South High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080336000408
👥 S:T ratio 14
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 7
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South High School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Colorado schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado.
- #41 of 45
- high schools in Denver · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.4:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 33.6%
- free-lunch eligible
South High School has class sizes larger than 91% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South High School ranks #41 of 45 high schools in Denver, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080336000408 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
91.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.4:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.6%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South High School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at South High School
South High School is a large high school in Denver, Colorado, enrolling 1,950 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.4:1 is larger than about 91% of Colorado schools and 29% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 33.6% 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 99% of state schools at 1,950 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 45 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #29.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 64/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 325 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C also operates East High School (2,476 students) and Northfield High School (2,137 students) alongside South 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 South High School compares
South 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 | 21.4:1 | ▲ 29% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.6% | ▼ 13% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,950 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,950
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 91% in Colorado - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
37.3%
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
$15,336
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 325 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
87
in-school suspensions + 52 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 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
White 51.1%
Hispanic or Latino 29.8%
African American 7.7%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 51.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.8, South High School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C, which includes South High School.
$15,336
Per student
-6%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 70.4%
State 16.8%
Federal 12.8%
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 High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northfield High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mcauliffe International School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,476
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,137
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,653
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,390
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,329
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
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 (~1,950 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South High School's federal record.
- Compare South High School against another school. Compare schools
- School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C'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 High School
How many students attend South High School?
South High School has 1,950 students enrolled. It is a high school in Denver, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South High School?
The student-teacher ratio at South High School is 21.4:1, which is 29% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South High School?
33.6% of students at South High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South High School?
The largest demographic group at South High School is White at 51.1% of enrollment, in Denver, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South High School?
South High School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical 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 South High School rank among high schools in Denver?
By Resource Investment Index, South High School ranks #41 of 45 high schools in Denver, 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 Denver on the city page.
Is South High School a good school?
South High School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% 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 School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C?
Besides South High School, School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C also operates East High School (2,476 students), Northfield High School (2,137 students), and North High School (1,653 students). See the School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C 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.