Enrollment
393
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lakewood, CO
South Lakewood Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Lakewood Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080480000784
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 69
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Lakewood Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Colorado schools.
- #3 of 13
- elementary schools in Lakewood · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 47.1%
- free-lunch eligible
South Lakewood Elementary School has class sizes larger than 71% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Lakewood Elementary School ranks #3 of 13 elementary schools in Lakewood, CO.
School address
District: Jefferson County School District No. R-1 · Colorado
NCES ID 080480000784 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.1%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Lakewood Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Lakewood Elementary School
South Lakewood Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Lakewood, Colorado, enrolling 393 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 47.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 393 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 294 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #89.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (44%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 157 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Jefferson County School District No. R-1 also operates Arvada West High School (1,923 students) and Ralston Valley Senior High School (1,875 students) alongside South Lakewood 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 Lakewood Elementary School compares
South Lakewood 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 8% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.1% | ▲ 22% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 393 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
393
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% 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
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 71% in Colorado - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
32.6%
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
$13,124
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
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 157 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 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 44.0%
White 43.8%
Two or More 6.1%
African American 4.1%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.9, South Lakewood 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 Jefferson County School District No. R-1, which includes South Lakewood Elementary School.
$13,124
Per student
-19%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 55.3%
State 36.9%
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 Lakewood Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arvada West High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ralston Valley Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chatfield High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lakewood High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Columbine High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Lakewood Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,923
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,875
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,808
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,735
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,710
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary 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 (~393 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Lakewood Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Lakewood Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson County School District No. R-1'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 Lakewood Elementary School
How many students attend South Lakewood Elementary School?
South Lakewood Elementary School has 393 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lakewood, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Lakewood Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Lakewood Elementary School is 17.9:1, which is 8% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Lakewood Elementary School?
47.1% of students at South Lakewood Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Lakewood Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Lakewood Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 44.0% of enrollment, in Lakewood, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Lakewood Elementary School?
South Lakewood Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical 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 Lakewood Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Lakewood?
By Resource Investment Index, South Lakewood Elementary School ranks #3 of 13 elementary schools in Lakewood, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Lakewood on the city page.
Is South Lakewood Elementary School a good school?
South Lakewood Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Jefferson County School District No. R-1?
Besides South Lakewood Elementary School, Jefferson County School District No. R-1 also operates Arvada West High School (1,923 students), Ralston Valley Senior High School (1,875 students), and Chatfield High School (1,808 students). See the Jefferson County School District No. R-1 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.