Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 161 schools in district

Ralston Valley Senior High School

13355 WEST 80TH AVENUE, ARVADA, CO 80005Jefferson County School District No. R-1 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,843
Students
Total enrolled
96%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 11% vs nat'l
$16,228
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 13% vs nat'l
21.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 37% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,843 students in grades 09–12 in ARVADA, Colorado.
13% above average funding
District spends $16,228 per pupil, 13% more than the national average of $14,347.
21.1 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

Ralston Valley Senior High School is a very large high in ARVADA, Colorado, serving grades 09–12 with 1,843 students. The district invests $16,228 per student — 13% above the national average of $14,347, with a 21.1:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 11% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. The school's 96% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at Ralston Valley Senior High School

1,843
Total Students
21.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
11%
Free Lunch
88
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution921 male · 922 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility11%
National avg 52% · 207 students
Student Composition
81%
12%
Asian3%
White81%
Hispanic / Latino12%
Black1%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 080480001797

Academic Outcomes at Ralston Valley Senior High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
96
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
96%
State avg
81%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,228Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,228
State avg
$22,657
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,140
Student Support$3,083
Administration$1,947
Operations$2,434
Other$1,623
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,228 spent per student, an estimated $7,189 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
37%
55%
State government
36.9%
Local (property tax)
55.3%
Federal programs
7.8%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 96% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 11% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Three Creeks K-8Bear Creek K-8 SchoolLincoln Charter AcademyJefferson Academy Elementary
+2 more
↓
Middle
Drake Junior High SchoolSummit Ridge Middle SchoolDunstan Middle SchoolCreighton Middle School
+4 more
↓
High School
Lakewood High SchoolArvada West High SchoolChatfield High SchoolColumbine High School
+12 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyJefferson County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictJefferson County School District No. R-1 →
Phone: (303)982-5600
NCES ID: 080480001797
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in ARVADA seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Jefferson County School District No. R-1
High
Lakewood High School
1,885 students · 09–12
● 41 opp43% FRL
High
Arvada West High School
1,840 students · 09–12
● 49 opp31% FRL
High
Chatfield High School
1,784 students · 09–12
● 52 opp15% FRL
High
Columbine High School
1,686 students · 09–12
● 45 opp26% FRL
High
Bear Creek High School
1,431 students · 09–12
● 50 opp53% FRL
High
Golden High School
1,416 students · 09–12
● 65 opp22% FRL
High
Dakota Ridge Senior High School
1,338 students · 09–12
● 52 opp22% FRL
High
Standley Lake High School
1,180 students · 09–12
36% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
13355 WEST 80TH AVENUE, ARVADA, CO 80005
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.