Enrollment
283
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Arvada, CO
Swanson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Swanson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080480000790
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 62
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Swanson Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #8 of 15
- schools in Arvada · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.7:1
- students per teacher
- 63.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Swanson Elementary School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Swanson Elementary School ranks #8 of 15 schools in Arvada, CO.
School address
District: Jefferson County School District No. R-1 · Colorado
NCES ID 080480000790 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.7%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Swanson Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Swanson Elementary School
Swanson Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Arvada, Colorado, enrolling 283 students.
At 15.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Colorado median, within a few percentage points of the 16.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 63.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 283 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 194 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #97.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and White (37%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 189 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.6% 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 Swanson 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 Swanson Elementary School compares
Swanson 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 | 15.7:1 | ▼ 5% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.7% | ▲ 65% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 283 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
283
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% 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
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 50% in Colorado - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
45.6%
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 189 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.7 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 52.7%
White 36.7%
African American 3.9%
Asian 3.2%
Two or More 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 52.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.4, Swanson 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 Swanson 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 Swanson 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 | Higher S:T ratio |
| Columbine High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Swanson 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 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 (~283 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Swanson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Swanson 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 Swanson Elementary School
How many students attend Swanson Elementary School?
Swanson Elementary School has 283 students enrolled. It is a public school in Arvada, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Swanson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Swanson Elementary School is 15.7:1, which is 5% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 0% higher 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 Swanson Elementary School?
63.7% of students at Swanson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Swanson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Swanson Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 52.7% of enrollment, in Arvada, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Swanson Elementary School?
Swanson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Swanson Elementary School rank among schools in Arvada?
By Resource Investment Index, Swanson Elementary School ranks #8 of 15 schools in Arvada, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Arvada on the city page.
Is Swanson Elementary School a good school?
Swanson Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. 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 Swanson 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.