Enrollment
2,045
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Aurora, CO
Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory
Federal NCES profile for Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080234006451
👥 S:T ratio 3
📚 AP courses 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Colorado schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado.
- #10 of 13
- high schools in Aurora · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.3:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 45.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory has class sizes larger than 95% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory ranks #10 of 13 high schools in Aurora, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080234006451 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
84.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.3:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+46% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.7%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory
Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory is a large high school in Aurora, Colorado, enrolling 2,045 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.3:1 is larger than about 95% of Colorado schools and 46% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 45.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Colorado, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,045 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 28 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #18.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (50%) and African American (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 11 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 341 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
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 Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory.
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 Peak 9-12 Preparatory compares
Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.3:1 | ▲ 46% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.7% | ▲ 19% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,045 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.3:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,045
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
24.3:1
students per teacher
- 46% above state mean
Top 95% in Colorado - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 341 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
62
in-school suspensions + 206 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 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 50.3%
African American 18.9%
White 17.6%
Two or More 6.7%
Asian 5.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 50.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.3, Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
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 Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory.
$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 Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora Central Campus | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rangeview High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gateway High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hinkley High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lotus School for Excellence | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory'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
- 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
- Enrollment
- 1,008
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar high 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 (~2,045 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory's federal record.
- Compare Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory 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 Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory
How many students attend Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory?
Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory has 2,045 students enrolled. It is a high school in Aurora, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory?
The student-teacher ratio at Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory is 24.3:1, which is 46% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 55% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory?
45.7% of students at Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory?
The largest demographic group at Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory is Hispanic or Latino at 50.3% of enrollment, in Aurora, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory?
Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory rank among high schools in Aurora?
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory ranks #10 of 13 high schools in Aurora, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Aurora on the city page.
Is Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory a good school?
Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Colorado schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado. 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 Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory, 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 Gateway High School (1,748 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.