Enrollment
291
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Denver, CO
Vista Academy
Federal NCES profile for Vista Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080336006514
👥 S:T ratio 17
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 71
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vista Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Colorado schools.
- #59 of 125
- schools in Denver · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.8:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 72.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Vista Academy has class sizes larger than 89% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Academy ranks #59 of 125 schools in Denver, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080336006514 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.8:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.6%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+89% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vista Academy compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vista Academy
Vista Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Denver, Colorado, enrolling 291 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.8:1 is larger than about 89% of Colorado schools and 25% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 72.6% of students qualify for free meals, 89% above the Colorado average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 291 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 184 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #99.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (73%) and African American (20%) (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 146 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 58.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
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 Vista Academy.
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 Vista Academy compares
Vista Academy on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.8:1 | ▲ 25% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.6% | ▲ 89% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 291 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.8:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
291
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 89% 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
20.8:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 89% in Colorado - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
58.1%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 146 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 72.5%
African American 19.6%
Two or More 3.4%
White 2.4%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 72.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.4, Vista Academy is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School District No. 1 in the County of Denver and State of C, which includes Vista Academy.
$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 Vista Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northfield High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vista Academy'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 (~291 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vista Academy's federal record.
- Compare Vista Academy 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 Vista Academy
How many students attend Vista Academy?
Vista Academy has 291 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Denver, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vista Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Vista Academy is 20.8:1, which is 25% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 32% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vista Academy?
72.6% of students at Vista Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vista Academy?
The largest demographic group at Vista Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 72.5% of enrollment, in Denver, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vista Academy?
Vista Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Vista Academy rank among schools in Denver?
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Academy ranks #59 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 Vista Academy a good school?
Vista Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 Vista Academy, 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.