Enrollment
131
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Cortez, CO
Southwest Open Charter School
Federal NCES profile for Southwest Open Charter School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080309001692Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 52
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 75
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest Open Charter School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 84% of Colorado schools.
- #3 of 9
- public schools in Cortez · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.9:1
- small classes for Colorado
- 65.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest Open Charter School has class sizes smaller than 84% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Open Charter School ranks #3 of 9 public schools in Cortez, CO.
School address
District: Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 · Colorado
NCES ID 080309001692 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.9:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.5%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+70% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest Open Charter School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest Open Charter School
Southwest Open Charter School is a higher-need, small charter high school in Cortez, Colorado, enrolling 131 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 65.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 131 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 51 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #27.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (28%) (diversity index 66/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 126 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 96.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 spends $11,473 per pupil, 29% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 also operates Montezuma-Cortez High School (598 students) and Montezuma-Cortez Middle School (505 students) alongside Southwest Open Charter 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 Southwest Open Charter School compares
Southwest Open Charter 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 | 11.9:1 | ▼ 28% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.5% | ▲ 70% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 131 | top 85% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.9:1
Leaner classes than 76% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
131
Bigger than 13% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 70% 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
11.9:1
students per teacher
- 28% below state mean
Top 16% in Colorado - lower ratio than 84% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
96.9%
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
$11,473
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 126 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 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 46.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 28.2%
Hispanic or Latino 19.8%
Two or More 5.3%
Largest group: White at 46.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.1, Southwest Open Charter School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1, which includes Southwest Open Charter School.
$11,473
Per student
-29%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.2%
State 42.0%
Federal 15.9%
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 Southwest Open Charter School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montezuma-Cortez High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Montezuma-Cortez Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mesa Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kemper Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Children's Kiva Montessori School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwest Open Charter School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 598
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 505
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 359
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 339
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 130
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
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 (~131 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest Open Charter School's federal record.
- Compare Southwest Open Charter School against another school. Compare schools
- Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-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 Southwest Open Charter School
How many students attend Southwest Open Charter School?
Southwest Open Charter School has 131 students enrolled. It is a high school in Cortez, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest Open Charter School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest Open Charter School is 11.9:1, which is 28% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 24% 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 Southwest Open Charter School?
65.5% of students at Southwest Open Charter School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest Open Charter School?
The largest demographic group at Southwest Open Charter School is White at 46.6% of enrollment, in Cortez, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest Open Charter School?
Southwest Open Charter School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Southwest Open Charter School rank among public schools in Cortez?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Open Charter School ranks #3 of 9 public schools in Cortez, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Cortez on the city page.
Is Southwest Open Charter School a good school?
Southwest Open Charter School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 84% 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 Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1?
Besides Southwest Open Charter School, Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 also operates Montezuma-Cortez High School (598 students), Montezuma-Cortez Middle School (505 students), and Mesa Elementary School (359 students). See the Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-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.