Enrollment
334
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Denver, CO
University Prep - Steele St.
Federal NCES profile for University Prep - Steele St., including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080336001576Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
University Prep - Steele St. earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 86% of Colorado schools.
- #110 of 125
- schools in Denver · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11.5:1
- small classes for Colorado
- 82.6%
- free-lunch eligible
University Prep - Steele St. has class sizes smaller than 86% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, University Prep - Steele St. ranks #110 of 125 schools in Denver, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080336001576 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.5:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.6%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+115% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How University Prep - Steele St. compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at University Prep - Steele St.
University Prep - Steele St. is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Denver, Colorado, enrolling 334 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.5:1, University Prep - Steele St. is leaner than roughly 86% of Colorado schools and 31% under the state's 16.6:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 82.6% of students qualify for free meals, 115% above the Colorado average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 334 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 1,922 Colorado schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 125 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #112, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (62%) and African American (28%) (diversity index 54/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 56.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C also operates East High School (2,476 students) and Northfield High School (2,137 students) alongside University Prep - Steele St..
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 University Prep - Steele St. compares
University Prep - Steele St. on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.5:1 | ▼ 31% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.6% | ▲ 115% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 334 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.5:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
334
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 115% 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
11.5:1
students per teacher
- 31% below state mean
Top 14% in Colorado - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
56.3%
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
$15,336
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.1 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 61.7%
African American 28.1%
White 4.5%
Two or More 3.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.5%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 61.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.7, University Prep - Steele St. is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C, which includes University Prep - Steele St..
$15,336
Per student
-6%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 70.4%
State 16.8%
Federal 12.8%
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 University Prep - Steele St. Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northfield High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to University Prep - Steele St.'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,476
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,137
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,950
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,653
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,390
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- 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 (~334 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on University Prep - Steele St.'s federal record.
- Compare University Prep - Steele St. against another school. Compare schools
- School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C'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 University Prep - Steele St.
How many students attend University Prep - Steele St.?
University Prep - Steele St. has 334 students enrolled. It is a public school in Denver, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at University Prep - Steele St.?
The student-teacher ratio at University Prep - Steele St. is 11.5:1, which is 31% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 27% 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 University Prep - Steele St.?
82.6% of students at University Prep - Steele St. are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of University Prep - Steele St.?
The largest demographic group at University Prep - Steele St. is Hispanic or Latino at 61.7% of enrollment, in Denver, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for University Prep - Steele St.?
University Prep - Steele St. has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does University Prep - Steele St. rank among schools in Denver?
By Resource Investment Index, University Prep - Steele St. ranks #110 of 125 schools in Denver, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Denver on the city page.
Is University Prep - Steele St. a good school?
University Prep - Steele St. earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 86% 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 School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C?
Besides University Prep - Steele St., School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C also operates East High School (2,476 students), Northfield High School (2,137 students), and South High School (1,950 students). See the School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C district page for the complete list.
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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.