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Very Good

#405 of 1,815 schools in CO

Top 22% in state

Explorer Elementary School

Elementary School · Academy School District No. 20 in the County of EL Paso an · Colorado Springs, CO

An Academy School District No. 20 in the County of EL Paso an elementary school where students score 14 points above what's typical for similar communities.

4190 BARDOT DRIVE, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

  • Math 60% vs CO 40% (2025)
  • Reading 65% vs CO 45% (2025)
  • 17.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.7Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.78 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics9.2Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency59.4% (2025 CMAS)
Reading/ELA Proficiency64.3% (2025 CMAS)
Math vs. State Avg+23.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+19.4 pts
Overall Proficiency62% (2025 CMAS, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)48% (model expectation from 2025 CMAS)
vs. Expected+13.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile88th
Resources & Environment5.4Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17.4:1
District spending per student$12,090
Chronic Absenteeism20.3%

Students at Explorer Elementary School score 62% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 48%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 CMAS proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CO average.

Math Proficiency60%(2025 CMAS)
School
State
40%(2025 CMAS)
ELA Proficiency65%(2025 CMAS)
School
State
45%(2025 CMAS)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 8 points since 2020, reaching 62% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
98%
ELA
97%
2010
Math
96%
ELA
96%
2011
Math
83%
ELA
85%
2012
Math
86%
ELA
84%
2013
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2014
Math
51%
ELA
59%
2015
Math
48%
ELA
54%
2016
Math
53%
ELA
56%
2017
Math
56%
ELA
58%
2018
Math
53%
ELA
65%
2019
Math
53%
ELA
65%
2020*
Math
52%
ELA
57%
2021*
Math
52%
ELA
57%
2022
Math
47%
2025
Math
60%
ELA
65%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 64% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 69% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 35 test records from CO state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

28.5%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Explorer Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 43Car-Dependent
  • Transit 18Minimal Transit
  • Bike 54Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,194/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Colorado Springs), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$111,233

Median home value

$484,900

Median rent

$1,955/mo

College educated

53%

Homeownership

67.4%

Poverty rate

5.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 80920; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Academy Endeavour Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.1PK–50.9 mi356Compare →
Academy International Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.4PK–50.9 mi398Compare →
Frontier Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.8PK–51.0 mi294Compare →
Prairie Hills Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.0K–51.1 mi348Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Academy School District No. 20 in the County of EL Paso an

Schools in district
39
Rank in district
#21 of 39
District spending per student
$12,090NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
3.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

Explorer Elementary School is listed in Academy School District No. 20 in the county of El Paso an; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Explorer Elementary School

Explorer Elementary School is a public elementary school in Colorado Springs, CO, part of Academy School District No. 20 in the County of EL Paso an, serving approximately 453 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 17.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10 and ranks #405 of 1,815 schools in CO. State assessment records show 64% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 69% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Explorer Elementary School

What grades does Explorer Elementary School serve?

Explorer Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Explorer Elementary School?

Explorer Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 453 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Explorer Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Explorer Elementary School is 17.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Explorer Elementary School rank in CO?

Explorer Elementary School ranks #405 of 1,815 schools in CO.

What is Explorer Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Explorer Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Explorer Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Explorer Elementary School has 64% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 69% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Explorer Elementary School a charter school?

No, Explorer Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Explorer Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Explorer Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Explorer Elementary School?

28.5% of students at Explorer Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
453
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
26
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
El Paso County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
20.3%
Area population (ZIP 80920)
38,154
Area average commute
22.2 min
Area median age
36.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 CMAS · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 CMAS · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 80920; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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