Enrollment
316
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Longmont, CO
Sunset Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Sunset Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080537000908
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunset Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Colorado schools.
- #2 of 4
- middle schools in Longmont · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.2:1
- small classes for Colorado
- 42.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunset Middle School has class sizes smaller than 82% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Middle School ranks #2 of 4 middle schools in Longmont, CO.
School address
District: St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j · Colorado
NCES ID 080537000908 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.2%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sunset Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sunset Middle School
Sunset Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Longmont, Colorado, enrolling 316 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 42.2% lands close to the Colorado typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 316 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 293 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #129.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (55%) and White (40%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 226 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j spends $12,559 per pupil, 23% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 83 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 316 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j also operates Erie High School (1,727 students) and Niwot High School (1,509 students) alongside Sunset Middle 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 Sunset Middle School compares
Sunset Middle 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 | 12.2:1 | ▼ 27% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.2% | ▲ 10% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 316 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
316
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% 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
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 27% below state mean
Top 18% in Colorado - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
43.0%
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
$12,559
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
Counselors1.4 FTE
Per 226 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
21
in-school suspensions + 62 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.3 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 54.7%
White 39.9%
Two or More 3.2%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 54.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.0, Sunset Middle School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j, which includes Sunset Middle School.
$12,559
Per student
-23%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.1%
State 36.7%
Federal 9.3%
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 Sunset Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Niwot High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frederick Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Longmont High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Soaring Heights Pk-8 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunset Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,727
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,509
- Students per teacher
- 26.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,491
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,268
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,211
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar middle 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 (~316 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sunset Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Sunset Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j'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 Sunset Middle School
How many students attend Sunset Middle School?
Sunset Middle School has 316 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Longmont, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunset Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunset Middle School is 12.2:1, which is 27% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 22% 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 Sunset Middle School?
42.2% of students at Sunset Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunset Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Sunset Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 54.7% of enrollment, in Longmont, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunset Middle School?
Sunset Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Sunset Middle School rank among middle schools in Longmont?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Middle School ranks #2 of 4 middle schools in Longmont, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Longmont on the city page.
Is Sunset Middle School a good school?
Sunset Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% 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 St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j?
Besides Sunset Middle School, St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j also operates Erie High School (1,727 students), Niwot High School (1,509 students), and Frederick Senior High School (1,491 students). See the St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1j 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.