Enrollment
721
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Thornton, CO
Thornton Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Thornton Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 080690001183
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thornton Middle School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #4 of 5
- middle schools in Thornton · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- students per teacher
- 73.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Thornton Middle School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thornton Middle School ranks #4 of 5 middle schools in Thornton, CO.
School address
District: Adams 12 Five Star Schools · Colorado
NCES ID 080690001183 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.0%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+90% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thornton Middle School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thornton Middle School
Thornton Middle School is a higher-need, large middle school in Thornton, Colorado, enrolling 721 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 73.0% of students qualify for free meals, 90% above the Colorado average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 721 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 127 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #105, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (77%) and White (11%) (diversity index 38/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 361 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 73.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 334 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 721 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Adams 12 Five Star Schools also operates Legacy High School (2,052 students) and Horizon High School (1,966 students) alongside Thornton 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 Thornton Middle School compares
Thornton 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 | 17.2:1 | ▲ 4% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.0% | ▲ 90% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 721 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
721
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 90% above the Colorado average of 38.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 65% in Colorado - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
73.0%
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
$13,222
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 361 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
82
in-school suspensions + 252 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 46.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 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
Hispanic or Latino 77.4%
White 10.7%
Asian 7.2%
African American 3.2%
Two or More 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 77.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.3, Thornton Middle School is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Adams 12 Five Star Schools, which includes Thornton Middle School.
$13,222
Per student
-19%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.4%
State 44.8%
Federal 9.8%
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 Thornton Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horizon High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northglenn High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mountain Range High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stargate Charter School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thornton Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,052
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,966
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,844
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,788
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,572
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
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 (~721 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thornton Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Thornton Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Adams 12 Five Star Schools'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 Thornton Middle School
How many students attend Thornton Middle School?
Thornton Middle School has 721 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Thornton, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thornton Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thornton Middle School is 17.2:1, which is 4% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thornton Middle School?
73.0% of students at Thornton Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thornton Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Thornton Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 77.4% of enrollment, in Thornton, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thornton Middle School?
Thornton Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Thornton Middle School rank among middle schools in Thornton?
By Resource Investment Index, Thornton Middle School ranks #4 of 5 middle schools in Thornton, 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 Thornton on the city page.
Is Thornton Middle School a good school?
Thornton Middle School earns 32/100 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 Adams 12 Five Star Schools?
Besides Thornton Middle School, Adams 12 Five Star Schools also operates Legacy High School (2,052 students), Horizon High School (1,966 students), and Northglenn High School (1,844 students). See the Adams 12 Five Star Schools 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.