- Enrollment
- 1,832
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Grand Junction, CO
Thunder Mountain Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Thunder Mountain Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 19/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080435001346
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thunder Mountain Elementary School earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #21 of 21
- schools in Grand Junction · Resource Index
- 19
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 42.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Thunder Mountain Elementary School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thunder Mountain Elementary School ranks #21 of 21 schools in Grand Junction, CO.
School address
District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 · Colorado
NCES ID 080435001346 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-2 students YoY
Thunder Mountain Elementary School held near 441 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 28.4 → 28.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-2 students YoY 080435001346 · Grand Junction, CO Other · SMALL · TRAD
432 enr · 15.4:1 · 42.9% lunch · RII 19
Nearest enrollment peer: Grand Junction High School (1,832 students)
Thunder Mountain Elementary School held near 441 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount). Teacher FTE held 28.4 → 28.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Colorado schools → · Find another →
Thunder Mountain Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Grand Junction
Grand Junction High School
1,832 students
- Fruita Monumen
Fruita Monument High School
1,427 students
- Central High S
Central High School
1,352 students
- Palisade High
Palisade High School
1,073 students
- Fruita 8/9 Sch 704
Fruita 8/9 School
704 students
- This school 432
Thunder Mountain Elementary School
432 students
What this shows Thunder Mountain Elementary School reports 432 students on the CCD universe file.
How Thunder Mountain Elementary School compares
Thunder Mountain Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.4:1 | ▼ 7% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.9% | ▲ 11% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 432 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
432
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
42.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 46% in Colorado - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
41.9%
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
$12,834
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $17,910
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.9 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 64.6%
Hispanic or Latino 28.5%
Two or More 3.5%
Asian 2.1%
African American 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 64.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.0, Thunder Mountain Elementary School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
District finance for Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 reports $12,834 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Thunder Mountain Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita Monument High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palisade High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fruita 8/9 School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thunder Mountain Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,427
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,352
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,073
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 704
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~432 students)
Frequently asked questions about Thunder Mountain Elementary School
How many students attend Thunder Mountain Elementary School?
Thunder Mountain Elementary School has 432 students enrolled. It is a public school in Grand Junction, CO. CCD year-over-year: 443 (2022-23) → 441 (2023-24), nearly flat (-2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thunder Mountain Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thunder Mountain Elementary School is 15.4:1, which is 7% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 2% 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 Thunder Mountain Elementary School?
42.9% of students at Thunder Mountain Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thunder Mountain Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Thunder Mountain Elementary School is White at 64.6% of enrollment, in Grand Junction, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thunder Mountain Elementary School?
Thunder Mountain Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 19/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Thunder Mountain Elementary School rank among schools in Grand Junction?
By Resource Investment Index, Thunder Mountain Elementary School ranks #21 of 21 schools in Grand Junction, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Grand Junction on the city page.
What other schools are in Mesa County Valley School District No. 51?
Besides Thunder Mountain Elementary School, Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 also operates Grand Junction High School (1,832 students), Fruita Monument High School (1,427 students), and Central High School (1,352 students). See the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 district page for the complete list.