Education (K-12) · 2024–25 school year
Colorado Public Schools
Public K-12 education statistics for Colorado — 865,055 students in 1,917 schools in 2024–25, with enrollment history back to 1986 and county-level detail from 2002.
| Statistic | Value | School year |
|---|---|---|
| Student enrollment | 865,055 | 2024–25 |
| Public schools | 1,917 | 2024–25 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 52,568 | 2024–25 |
| Pupil-teacher ratio | 16.4 | 2024–25 |
| Free/reduced-price lunch students | 45.8% | 2024–25 |
| School poverty rate (MEPS) | 13.7% | 2022–23 |
| Charter school enrollment | 15.2% | 2024–25 |
| High school graduation rate | 85.6% | 2024–25 |
| Math proficiency (of tested) | 31.8% | 2021–22 |
| Reading proficiency (of tested) | 44.9% | 2021–22 |
| Chronically absent students | 34.5% | 2021–22 |
| White students | 48.7% | 2024–25 |
| Black students | 4.7% | 2024–25 |
| Hispanic students | 36.9% | 2024–25 |
| Asian students | 3.4% | 2024–25 |
Not every statistic is collected every year — each row shows its most recent available school year (amber when older than 2024–25). Blank/absent means not collected or below reliability floors, never zero. Some universal-meals states no longer report free/reduced-price lunch — school poverty (MEPS) is the better lens there. A 0% charter share in a state without a charter-school law is a true zero.
Colorado state report card
Outcomes reported directly by Colorado’s education agency — often more current than the federal series above. Because each state uses its own tests, definitions, and reporting windows, these figures are not comparable state-to-state; each row notes how Colorado measures it.
| Measure | Latest | Trend | School year |
|---|---|---|---|
5-year graduation rate How Colorado measures this5-year graduation rate for the AYG 2023-2024 cohort, measured 5 years after 9th-grade entry (through summer of the following year); published in the 2024-25 graduation file. Cohort size = 69,207. | 87.8% | 2023–24 | |
Dropout rate How Colorado measures thisAnnual dropout rate, grades 7-12, SY 2024-25: dropouts as a percent of the grade 7-12 membership base (464,807), STATE GRAND TOTALS INCLUDING ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS row. | 1.6% | 2024–25 | |
Math proficiency (state test) How Colorado measures thisCMAS (Colorado Measures of Academic Success) Mathematics, grades 3-8 "All Grades" state aggregate, percent Met or Exceeded Expectations, spring 2025 administration; denominator = number of valid scores | 35.9% | 2024–25 | |
Reading / ELA proficiency (state test) How Colorado measures thisCMAS (Colorado Measures of Academic Success) English Language Arts, grades 3-8 "All Grades" state aggregate, percent Met or Exceeded Expectations, spring 2025 administration; denominator = number of valid scores | 44.8% | 2024–25 |
Source: ColoradoDepartment of Education (public reporting), 2026 collection. Not comparable across states — proficiency reflects different assessments and cut scores; graduation, dropout, and college-going use each state’s own cohort definitions and windows. Absent rows mean the state doesn’t publish that measure in a comparable file.
Colorado schools by county
Students enrolled, 2024–25.
Colorado schools — FAQ
How many students attend public school in Colorado?+
865,055 students were enrolled in Colorado's 1,917 public K-12 schools in the 2024–25 school year, taught by 52,568 full-time-equivalent teachers (NCES Common Core of Data).
What share of Colorado students get free or reduced-price lunch?+
45.8% of Colorado public school students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in 2024–25 — a common proxy for student economic need.
What is Colorado's high school graduation rate?+
85.6% of Colorado's adjusted cohort graduated in the 2024–25 school year — reported by Colorado's education agency (its 4-year ACGR, more current than the federal series, which lags to 2021–22). Graduation rates run from 2010–11 onward.
Where does this data come from?+
Core statistics (enrollment, schools, teachers, poverty, demographics) come from the National Center for Education Statistics — the Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Civil Rights Data Collection. The most recent graduation rates and the state report-card outcomes (proficiency, college-going, dropout, chronic absenteeism) come directly from state education agencies, which publish sooner than the federal series. Full source and license details are on the methodology page. pumsdata is independent and not affiliated with NCES or any state agency.
Other states
Data: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (CCD, EDFacts, CRDC) and ED Data Express, plus current-year graduation and report-card outcomes from state education agencies. Full source and license details on the methodology page.