Enrollment
1,473
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Colorado Springs, CO
Vista Ridge High School
Federal NCES profile for Vista Ridge High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 080387006408
👥 S:T ratio 16
📚 AP courses 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vista Ridge High School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Colorado schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Colorado.
- #25 of 29
- high schools in Colorado Springs · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21:1
- large classes for Colorado
- 21.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Vista Ridge High School has class sizes larger than 90% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Ridge High School ranks #25 of 29 high schools in Colorado Springs, CO.
School address
District: El Paso County Colorado School District 49 · Colorado
NCES ID 080387006408 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
70.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.4%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vista Ridge High School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vista Ridge High School
Vista Ridge High School is a large high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, enrolling 1,473 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21:1 is larger than about 90% of Colorado schools and 27% above the 16.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 21.4% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Colorado, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,473 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Against 92 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #47.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 7 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 374 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
The surrounding El Paso County Colorado School District 49 spends $10,145 per pupil, 38% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 8 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
El Paso County Colorado School District 49 also operates Goal Academy (6,693 students) and Banning Lewis Ranch Academy (1,697 students) alongside Vista Ridge High School.
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 Ridge High School compares
Vista Ridge High School on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21:1 | ▲ 27% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.4% | ▼ 44% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,473 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,473
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% below the Colorado average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 90% in Colorado - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Funding equity
$10,145
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.9 FTE
Per 374 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
43
in-school suspensions + 77 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 8 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
White 46.6%
Hispanic or Latino 28.9%
Two or More 11.5%
African American 7.8%
Asian 4.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 46.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.8, Vista Ridge High School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for El Paso County Colorado School District 49, which includes Vista Ridge High School.
$10,145
Per student
-38%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.9%
State 67.4%
Federal 8.8%
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 Ridge High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal Academy | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Banning Lewis Ranch Academy | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sand Creek High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Falcon High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rocky Mountain Classical Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vista Ridge High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 6,693
- Students per teacher
- 36.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,697
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,426
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 1,172
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,162
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
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 (~1,473 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vista Ridge High School's federal record.
- Compare Vista Ridge High School against another school. Compare schools
- El Paso County Colorado School District 49'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 Ridge High School
How many students attend Vista Ridge High School?
Vista Ridge High School has 1,473 students enrolled. It is a high school in Colorado Springs, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vista Ridge High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Vista Ridge High School is 21:1, which is 27% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vista Ridge High School?
21.4% of students at Vista Ridge High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vista Ridge High School?
The largest demographic group at Vista Ridge High School is White at 46.6% of enrollment, in Colorado Springs, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vista Ridge High School?
Vista Ridge High School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Ridge High School rank among high schools in Colorado Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Ridge High School ranks #25 of 29 high schools in Colorado Springs, 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 Colorado Springs on the city page.
Is Vista Ridge High School a good school?
Vista Ridge High School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 El Paso County Colorado School District 49?
Besides Vista Ridge High School, El Paso County Colorado School District 49 also operates Goal Academy (6,693 students), Banning Lewis Ranch Academy (1,697 students), and Sand Creek High School (1,426 students). See the El Paso County Colorado School District 49 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.