The Colorado Springs School District 11 combines the best aspects of the city of Colorado Springs with multiple, high quality educational opportunities. Positive aspects of the district include:  1. Diverse Educational Options: The district Academic Master Plan ensures opportunities to offer a wide range of educational programs, including traditional public schools, charter schools, and alternative education options. This diversity allows parents and students to choose the educational environme…
nt that best suits their needs and interests.  2. Academic Excellence: Many of the schools in District 11 have a strong academic reputation and offer rigorous coursework, Advanced Placement (AP) classes, International Baccalaureate (IB) and a variety of extracurricular activities to challenge and engage students. This year, the district cut the number of schools on Turnaround and Priority Improvement by nearly half, from 9 schools to 3 schools.  3. Extracurricular Opportunities: The district provides numerous extracurricular activities, including sports, clubs, and arts programs. Several district athletic venues received large overhauls, increasing capacity and functionality. This allows students to explore their interests and develop skills beyond the classroom.  4. Support Services: District 11 offers top-tier support services for students typically offers a range of support services for students, including special education, counseling, and resources for students with diverse learning needs. Multiple offices within support services have been acknowledged by the state for the quality of services including Special Education, and Gifted and Talented.  5. Community Involvement: Colorado Springs School District 11 benefits from strong community involvement and support from a variety of partners such as the Pikes Peak YMCA, Pikes Peak United Way, city government, and higher education. These partnerships with local organizations create opportunities for students, and additional resources for schools. For example, in partnership with Pikes Peak State College, the D11 Promise Scholarship was developed which allows district HS students to take college-level courses at no cost.  6. Access to Outdoor Activities: Colorado Springs is known for its beautiful natural surroundings, and this can be a unique benefit for students in the district. Many schools have access to outdoor learning opportunities, and the region's natural beauty can enhance the overall quality of life for families. For example, Howbert Elementary and Coronado High School have vibrant outdoor education courses and programs.  7. Innovation: The district has a focus on innovative teaching methods and technologies to prepare students for the future job market. Staff actively participate in Design Thinking opportunities in the newly formed Design Lab space. School teams have developed strategic engagement programs for students, parent engagement opportunities, and innovative practices for improved attendance.  8. Quality Educators: High-quality teachers and staff are a crucial factor in any school district's success. District 11 often seeks to attract and retain talented educators to provide a strong learning experience for students. Teacher recruitment was significantly improved with the passage of a starting salary of $50K along with significant increases in pay across the district.  9. Safety: School safety is a top priority for any district. The district has made and continues to make significant investments in school safety and access. Specifically, large investments in security vestibules have been made at multiple elementary schools. Additionally, large investments have been made in interior safety and appearance. Many of these investments were made based on student interviews and input.  10. College and Career Readiness: Preparing students for success beyond high school is an important goal for the district offering resources and guidance to help students plan for their futures. Evidence includes the most robust Career and Technical Education programs in the state, multiple concurrent and dual enrollment opportunities, and robust Opportunity School pathways that offer non-traditional pathways of completion for all students.  District 11 is a large, urban/suburban school district in Colorado Springs. The enrollment in D11 has decreased over time; however, it is still one of the largest districts in the region with an enrollment of 21,781 per official student count data recorded October 2023. Over recent years, Colorado Springs School District 11 has experienced notable demographic shifts. The district has seen an increase in racial and ethnic diversity, with a growing Hispanic population now comprising about 17% of the student body. Additionally, the median household income in the district is slightly lower than the county average, reflecting economic diversity. The district has also observed changes in age demographics, with a significant portion of the population being under 18 (see Figure 1). These shifts highlight the evolving and dynamic nature of the community within District 11.
Accredited with Distinction - This is assigned to the highest performing districts. These districts are meeting or exceeding expectations on the majority of performance tasks.
Accredited - Districts with an overall rating of Accredited are meeting expectations on the majority of performance metrics.
Accredited with Improvement Plan - These districts are identified as lower performing. They may be meeting expectations on some performance metrics, but they are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on many.
Accredited with Priority Improvement Plan - These districts are identified as low performing. They are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on most performance metrics. The state will provide support and oversight to these districts until they improve.
Accredited with Turnaround Plan - These districts are identified as among the lowest performing districts in the state. They are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on most performance metrics. The state will provide support and oversight to these districts until they improve.
Accredited with Insufficient State Data - These districts are assigned this accreditation rating when the state does not have enough data to report publicly. To better understand why a district received an Insufficient State Data rating, all publicly reportable data are reflected in the performance framework report. More information about these ratings is available here.
School Ratings
Performance Plan - Schools with a Performance Plan are meeting expectations on the majority of performance metrics.
Improvement Plan - These schools are identified as lower performing. They may be meeting expectations on some performance metrics, but they are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on many.
Priority Improvement Plan - These schools are identified as low performing. They are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on most performance metrics. The state will provide support and oversight to these schools until they improve.
Turnaround Plan - These schools are identified as among the lowest performing schools in the state. They are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on most performance metrics. The state will provide support and oversight to these schools until they improve.
Insufficient State Data - These schools are assigned this plan type when the state does not have enough data to report publicly. To better understand why a school received an Insufficient State Data rating, all publicly reportable data are reflected in the performance framework report. More information about these ratings is available here.