Enrollment
380
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Denver, CO
Vanguard Classical School - West
Federal NCES profile for Vanguard Classical School - West, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080234006322Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vanguard Classical School - West earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #3 of 31
- elementary schools in Denver · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 69.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Vanguard Classical School - West has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vanguard Classical School - West ranks #3 of 31 elementary schools in Denver, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080234006322 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.1%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+79% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vanguard Classical School - West compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vanguard Classical School - West
Vanguard Classical School - West is a higher-need, mid-sized charter elementary school in Denver, Colorado, enrolling 380 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 69.1% of students qualify for free meals, 79% above the Colorado average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 380 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 246 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #17, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (65%) and African American (22%) (diversity index 53/100).
Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a also operates Aurora Central Campus (2,468 students) and Rangeview High School (2,078 students) alongside Vanguard Classical School - West.
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 Vanguard Classical School - West compares
Vanguard Classical School - West on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.1:1 | ▼ 15% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.1% | ▲ 79% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 380 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
380
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 79% 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
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 33% in Colorado - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$16,314
per pupil, district-wide
- above Colorado avg of $16,273
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 43 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.2 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 64.7%
African American 22.4%
Two or More 6.1%
White 5.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.5, Vanguard Classical School - West is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a, which includes Vanguard Classical School - West.
$16,314
Per student
+0%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-2%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.4%
State 41.1%
Federal 12.5%
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 Vanguard Classical School - West Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora Central Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rangeview High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gateway High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hinkley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vanguard Classical School - West's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,468
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,078
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,045
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,748
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,527
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
Similar elementary 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 (~380 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vanguard Classical School - West's federal record.
- Compare Vanguard Classical School - West against another school. Compare schools
- Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a'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 Vanguard Classical School - West
How many students attend Vanguard Classical School - West?
Vanguard Classical School - West has 380 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Denver, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vanguard Classical School - West?
The student-teacher ratio at Vanguard Classical School - West is 14.1:1, which is 15% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 10% 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 Vanguard Classical School - West?
69.1% of students at Vanguard Classical School - West are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vanguard Classical School - West?
The largest demographic group at Vanguard Classical School - West is Hispanic or Latino at 64.7% of enrollment, in Denver, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vanguard Classical School - West?
Vanguard Classical School - West has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Vanguard Classical School - West rank among elementary schools in Denver?
By Resource Investment Index, Vanguard Classical School - West ranks #3 of 31 elementary 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 elementary schools in Denver on the city page.
Is Vanguard Classical School - West a good school?
Vanguard Classical School - West earns 57/100 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 Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a?
Besides Vanguard Classical School - West, Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a also operates Aurora Central Campus (2,468 students), Rangeview High School (2,078 students), and Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory (2,045 students). See the Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a 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.