Bessemer Elementary School

Summary:

Bessemer Elementary School is a public elementary school in Pueblo, Colorado, serving 261 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Pueblo School District No. 60, which is ranked 110 out of 115 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Bessemer Elementary faces significant challenges, including a student population that is 73.56% Hispanic, significantly higher than nearby schools. The school consistently ranks in the bottom 20% of Colorado elementary schools, with academic performance, as measured by CMAS test scores, well below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subjects. Additionally, Bessemer Elementary has an extremely high percentage of students (89.27%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. However, the school does have a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 15.2, which is lower than most of the nearby schools.

While Bessemer Elementary struggles academically, some nearby schools, such as Fountain International Magnet School and Minnequa Elementary School, perform significantly better on CMAS tests, with proficiency rates above the state and district averages. This highlights the potential for improvement at Bessemer Elementary, but addressing the school's challenges will require a comprehensive approach to improve the educational outcomes for its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1125 E Routt Avenue
Pueblo, CO 81004-2906

(719) 549-7505

District: Pueblo School District No. 60

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,145

Students who attend Bessemer Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Central High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.7

Number of students: 291

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

66.7%

White:

24.4%

African American:

5.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 92.4%

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Compare Bessemer Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Bessemer Elementary School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.17. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (66.7%), White (24.4%), African American (5.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 92.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bessemer Elementary School is 16.7. 13 elementary schools in the Pueblo School District No. 60 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Bessemer Elementary School employs 17.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bessemer Elementary School is $16,145, which is the 3^rd highest among 18 elementary schools in the Pueblo School District No. 60.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Bessemer Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Pueblo School District No. 60:

SchoolDigger ranks Pueblo School District No. 60 104^th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Bessemer Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2004	28.36	610^th	808	24.5%
2005	46.32	486^th	823	40.9%
2006	51.66	448^th	829	46.0%
2007	46.02	504^th	852	40.8%
2008	28.25	651^st	849	23.3%
2009	29.70	662^nd	872	24.1%
2010	9.03	851^st	925	8.0%
2011	7.75	874^th	935	6.5%
2012	8.50	873^rd	935	6.6%
2013	9.09	881^st	954	7.7%
2014	4.63	951^st	962	1.1%
2015	12.68	852^nd	938	9.2%
2016	9.20	877^th	914	4.0%
2017	10.28	878^th	929	5.5%
2018	18.20	747^th	917	18.5%
2019	16.43	815^th	965	15.5%
2022	12.27	845^th	921	8.3%
2023	16.17	788^th	933	15.5%

See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Colorado Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Bessemer Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	60	29	0	242	2	n/a	n/a	333
1989	57	28	0	239	5	n/a	n/a	329
1990	83	22	3	255	4	n/a	n/a	367
1991	98	25	1	267	7	n/a	n/a	398
1992	105	17	1	256	7	n/a	n/a	386
1993	91	15	2	255	7	n/a	n/a	370
1994	79	13	1	235	7	n/a	n/a	335
1995	68	14	1	205	1	n/a	n/a	289
1996	68	14	1	205	1	n/a	n/a	289
1997	85	17	2	215	5	n/a	n/a	324
1998	79	16	0	227	3	n/a	n/a	325
1999	50	11	0	211	5	n/a	n/a	277
2000	62	14	0	261	7	n/a	n/a	344
2001	73	11	0	311	4	n/a	n/a	399
2002	96	17	1	389	7	n/a	n/a	510
2003	96	17	1	389	7	n/a	n/a	510
2004	82	13	2	378	6	n/a	n/a	481
2005	88	15	1	386	9	n/a	n/a	499
2006	71	17	1	398	10	n/a	n/a	497
2007	77	16	0	394	13	n/a	n/a	500
2008	61	21	0	378	13	n/a	n/a	473
2009	56	15	0	322	9	n/a	n/a	402
2010	66	20	0	330	5	n/a	n/a	421
2011	66	18	0	341	5	0	1	431
2012	56	9	0	368	4	0	2	439
2013	72	11	0	374	6	0	2	465
2014	65	17	0	360	3	0	7	452
2015	70	16	0	364	2	0	6	458
2016	58	12	0	346	3	0	4	423
2017	46	5	0	244	2	0	6	303
2018	48	3	0	232	4	1	3	291
2019	55	3	1	213	4	0	1	277
2020	62	9	3	195	7	0	6	282
2021	50	11	2	165	4	1	2	235
2022	60	16	1	169	7	0	5	258
2023	46	12	1	192	6	0	4	261
2024	71	17	1	194	2	0	6	291

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bessemer Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	333	19.2	17.3	n/a
1989	329	18.3	17.9	59.9
1990	367	19.5	18.8	79.8
1991	398	22.4	17.7	59
1992	386	21.0	18.3	57.5
1993	370	22.0	16.8	67.6
1994	335	22.0	15.2	89
1995	289	23.0	12.6	70.9
1996	289	23.0	12.6	70.9
1997	324	23.0	14.1	72.5
1998	325	21.0	15.5	74.5
1999	277	21.2	13.1	74
2000	344	26.1	13.2	81.1
2001	399	24.6	16.2	83
2002	510	31.9	16.0	77.3
2003	510	31.9	16.0	77.3
2004	481	32.5	14.8	89.4
2005	499	33.8	14.8	86.8
2006	497	32.5	15.3	90.1
2007	500	33.0	15.2	87.6
2008	473	32.1	14.7	88.6
2009	402	33.0	12.2	90.3
2010	421	26.5	15.8	87.6
2011	431	28.7	14.9	87.2
2012	439	32.8	13.3	88.2
2013	465	31.0	15.0	89.5
2014	452	32.7	13.7	90.9
2015	458	30.0	15.2	87.1
2016	423	26.0	16.2	83.9
2017	303	18.7	16.2	88.8
2018	291	17.0	17.1	87.6
2019	277	16.5	16.7	88.1
2020	282	16.4	17.1	84.4
2021	235	18.5	12.7	89.8
2022	258	14.7	17.5	87.2
2023	261	17.1	15.2	89.3
2024	291	17.4	16.7	92.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Bessemer Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	333	19.2	17.3	n/a
1989	329	18.3	17.9	59.9
1990	367	19.5	18.8	79.8
1991	398	22.4	17.7	59
1992	386	21.0	18.3	57.5
1993	370	22.0	16.8	67.6
1994	335	22.0	15.2	89
1995	289	23.0	12.6	70.9
1996	289	23.0	12.6	70.9
1997	324	23.0	14.1	72.5
1998	325	21.0	15.5	74.5
1999	277	21.2	13.1	74
2000	344	26.1	13.2	81.1
2001	399	24.6	16.2	83
2002	510	31.9	16.0	77.3
2003	510	31.9	16.0	77.3
2004	481	32.5	14.8	89.4
2005	499	33.8	14.8	86.8
2006	497	32.5	15.3	90.1
2007	500	33.0	15.2	87.6
2008	473	32.1	14.7	88.6
2009	402	33.0	12.2	90.3
2010	421	26.5	15.8	87.6
2011	431	28.7	14.9	87.2
2012	439	32.8	13.3	88.2
2013	465	31.0	15.0	89.5
2014	452	32.7	13.7	90.9
2015	458	30.0	15.2	87.1
2016	423	26.0	16.2	83.9
2017	303	18.7	16.2	88.8
2018	291	17.0	17.1	87.6
2019	277	16.5	16.7	88.1
2020	282	16.4	17.1	84.4
2021	235	18.5	12.7	89.8
2022	258	14.7	17.5	87.2
2023	261	17.1	15.2	89.3
2024	291	17.4	16.7	92.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bessemer Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$11,943
2020	$12,725
2021	$15,256
2022	$16,595
2023	$16,145

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bessemer Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 815^th of 965 Elementary schools	Ranks 788^th of 933 Elementary schools	0%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bessemer Elementary School)	29.4	22.6	6.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pueblo School District No. 60)	27.6	20.1	7.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	41.3	40.7	0.6%
3rd Grade Math (Bessemer Elementary School)	20.6	9.7	10.9%
3rd Grade Math (Pueblo School District No. 60)	27.6	20	7.6%
3rd Grade Math (Colorado)	41	39.4	1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Bessemer Elementary School)	22.2	14.8	7.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pueblo School District No. 60)	33.1	28.4	4.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48	44.1	3.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Bessemer Elementary School)	27.8	32	4.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pueblo School District No. 60)	36.2	30.6	5.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48.4	47.8	0.6%
All Grades English Language Arts (Bessemer Elementary School)	26.8	16.3	10.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pueblo School District No. 60)	32	24.7	7.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)	45.8	43.7	2.1%
All Grades Math (Bessemer Elementary School)	12.4	10	2.4%
All Grades Math (Pueblo School District No. 60)	19.6	15.4	4.2%
All Grades Math (Colorado)	34.7	32.9	1.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	277	261	5.8%
African American	3	12	300%
American Indian	4	6	50%
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	213	192	9.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	55	46	16.4%
Two or More Races	1	4	300%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	88.1%	89.3%	1.2%

Schools Near Bessemer Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CMAS English Language Arts (2024)							CMAS Math (2024)					CMAS Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CMAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	CMAS Science 8th Grade	Total
Bessemer Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1125 E Routt Avenue	Pueblo	81004	Pueblo County	Pueblo School District No. 60	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 549-7505	291	17	16.7	92.4%	71 (24.4%)	17 (5.8%)	194 (66.7%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.1%)								(n/a)	17.2						10.5			13.3		10.3			$16,145
Minnequa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1708 East Orman Avenue	Pueblo	81004	Pueblo County	Pueblo School District No. 60	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 549-7580	287	22	13.0	92.0%	61 (21.3%)	6 (2.1%)	212 (73.9%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.7%)	51.1	435^th of 943 public elementary schools	53.9%		26.8	646^th of 933 public elementary schools	30.8%	211	51.4	35.0	56.7				46.7	48.6	30.0	50.0		41.9	17.2		$16,495
Columbian Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1202 Bragdon Avenue	Pueblo	81004	Pueblo County	Pueblo School District No. 60	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 549-7525	393	26	15.1	93.9%	105 (26.7%)	10 (2.5%)	265 (67.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.8%)	29.6	617^th of 943 public elementary schools	34.6%		20	732^nd of 933 public elementary schools	21.5%	115	37.3	29.6	23.1				30.6	48.1	25.9	12.8		30.3	15.4		$13,772
Heritage Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	625 Brown Avenue	Pueblo	81004	Pueblo County	Pueblo School District No. 60	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 549-7575	253	16	16.3	85.0%	62 (24.5%)	7 (2.8%)	174 (68.8%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	6 (2.4%)	15.8	794^th of 943 public elementary schools	15.8%		13.2	840^th of 933 public elementary schools	10.0%	46	25.0	14.3	25.0				21.2	27.8	11.4	17.9		19.2	21.4		$14,439
Pueblo Charter School for the Arts & Sciences	Public, Charter	K-8	1745 Acero	Pueblo	81004	Pueblo County	Pueblo School District No. 60	Yes	No	No	No	(719) 549-2737	434	22	19.3	85.3%	91 (21.0%)	5 (1.2%)	321 (74.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.9%)	7.5	917^th of 943 public elementary schools	2.8%		9.8	887^th of 933 public elementary schools	4.9%	30	14.6	11.4	17.4	15.8	14.0	20.3	15.8	14.6	6.8		6.0	5.4	8.9		$9,050
Pueblo School for Arts & Sciences at Fulton Height	Public, Charter	K-8	1331 Santa Rosa Street	Pueblo	81006	Pueblo County	Pueblo School District No. 60	Yes	No	No	No	(719) 404-2680	228	13	17.6	77.6%	81 (35.5%)	0 (0.0%)	144 (63.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	25.6	668^th of 943 public elementary schools	29.2%		21.2	716^th of 933 public elementary schools	23.3%	48		41.7	19.0		25.8	34.8	25.5		21.7		9.7	9.5	19.0	22.7	$8,101
Paragon Preschool	Public	PK	3000 Lakeview Ave	Pueblo	81005	Pueblo County	Pueblo School District No. 60	No	No	No	No	(719) 253-6016	117	1	117.0		31 (26.5%)	0 (0.0%)	81 (69.2%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.4%)								(n/a)															$14,522
Bradford Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	107 South La Crosse Avenue	Pueblo	81001	Pueblo County	Pueblo School District No. 60	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 549-7515	280	19	14.4	93.2%	44 (15.7%)	10 (3.6%)	221 (78.9%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)								(n/a)	29.2						17.3	21.7				9.8			$16,289
Sunset Park Elementary School	Public	K-5	110 University Circle	Pueblo	81005	Pueblo County	Pueblo School District No. 60	No	No	No	No	(719) 549-7610	403	23	17.2	78.4%	135 (33.5%)	12 (3.0%)	240 (59.6%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.7%)	26.2	658^th of 943 public elementary schools	30.2%		23.7	688^th of 933 public elementary schools	26.3%	30	29.2	25.0	31.3				28.5	39.6	13.3	26.6		25.6	30.2		$12,598
Fountain International Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-3	925 North Glendale Avenue	Pueblo	81001	Pueblo County	Pueblo School District No. 60	No	Yes	No	No	(719) 549-7535	269	18	15.2	62.8%	83 (30.9%)	5 (1.9%)	157 (58.4%)	8 (3.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.6%)								(n/a)	48.4						48.4	45.2				45.2			$12,823

Frequently Asked Questions about Bessemer Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Bessemer Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Bessemer Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Central High School

What is the racial makeup of Bessemer Elementary School?

Students at Bessemer Elementary School are 67% Hispanic, 24% White, 6% African American, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Bessemer Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 291 students attended Bessemer Elementary School.

What district is Bessemer Elementary School in?

Pueblo School District No. 60

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Colorado Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.