Enrollment
960
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Aurora, CO
Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory
Federal NCES profile for Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080234006483
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 4
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Colorado schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Colorado schools.
- #60 of 70
- schools in Aurora · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.2:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 39.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory has class sizes larger than 80% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory ranks #60 of 70 schools in Aurora, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080234006483 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.2:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.6%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory
Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory is a large combined-grade school in Aurora, Colorado, enrolling 960 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 39.6% lands close to the Colorado typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Colorado, bigger than 92% of state schools at 960 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 80 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #57.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (42%) and White (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 480 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
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 P-8 Exploratory.
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 P-8 Exploratory compares
Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.2:1 | ▲ 16% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.6% | ▲ 3% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 960 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.2:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
960
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% above the Colorado average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.2:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 80% in Colorado - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 480 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
60
in-school suspensions + 52 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.7 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 42.1%
White 23.0%
African American 18.2%
Two or More 9.1%
Asian 6.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 42.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.4, Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory 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 Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory.
$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 P-8 Exploratory Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora Central Campus | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rangeview High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gateway High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hinkley High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory'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 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 (~960 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory's federal record.
- Compare Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory 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 P-8 Exploratory
How many students attend Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory?
Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory has 960 students enrolled. It is a public school in Aurora, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory?
The student-teacher ratio at Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory is 19.2:1, which is 16% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory?
39.6% of students at Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory?
The largest demographic group at Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory is Hispanic or Latino at 42.1% of enrollment, in Aurora, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory?
Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory rank among schools in Aurora?
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory ranks #60 of 70 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 schools in Aurora on the city page.
Is Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory a good school?
Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Colorado schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the Counties of Adams and a?
Besides Vista Peak P-8 Exploratory, 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.