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Public school · Poudre School District R-1 · Fort Collins, Colorado

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School rates 7.4 on our ten-point scale and ranks 497 of 1,829 schools in Colorado.

Schools, 1 to 10This campus on our ten-point scale.
7.4this school

7.4 on a one-to-ten scale.

#497 of 1,829 schools in Colorado

The brief

A Poudre School District R-1 school where students score 3 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 497 of 1,829 schools in Colorado and 24 of 52 in Poudre School District R-1.

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School is listed in Poudre School District R-1, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math45%7 points above the Colorado average of 38%2026 CMAS
Reading64%20 points above the Colorado average of 44%2026 CMAS
Proficiency is down 28 points across the 18-year record (2009–2026) and has held near 54% recently.2026 CMAS; 47 test records from CO state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
8.4
25% of the rating
Academics
7.2
25% of the rating
College Readiness
6.7
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
7.4
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 67% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

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 · 2026 CMAS · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2026 CMAS. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2026 CMAS · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2026 CMAS. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · 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 80521; 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, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Polaris Expeditionary Learning School and the 20 nearest schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$52,679
Median home value
$541,300
Median rent
$1,412/mo
College educated
62.7%
Homeownership
36.9%
Poverty rate
32%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 80521; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
45
Car-Dependent
Transit Score
40
Some Transit
Bike Score
90
Biker's Paradise
City reported crime
2,057/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Fort Collins. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Fort Collins), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
1 AP course
1.3% participation · state average 2.7 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
2 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
24.9%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Polaris Expeditionary Learning Schoolthis school
    7.4
  2. 6.8Compare →
  3. 6.3Compare →
  4. 6.1Compare →
  5. 6.0Compare →
Four grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Polaris Expeditionary Learning School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Polaris Expeditionary Learning School serve?

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 12th.

How many students attend Polaris Expeditionary Learning School?

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School has an enrollment of approximately 390 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School?

The student-teacher ratio at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School is 14.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Polaris Expeditionary Learning School rank in CO?

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School ranks #497 of 1,829 schools in CO.

What is Polaris Expeditionary Learning School's MySchoolScout rating?

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.4 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 Polaris Expeditionary Learning School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Polaris Expeditionary Learning School has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 67% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is Polaris Expeditionary Learning School a charter school?

No, Polaris Expeditionary Learning School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Polaris Expeditionary Learning School a Title I school?

No, Polaris Expeditionary Learning School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Polaris Expeditionary Learning School?

24.9% of students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning 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 facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 12th
Enrollment
390
Student-teacher ratio
14.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
27
Type
Alternative
Title I
No
Setting
Midsize City
County
Larimer County
4-year graduation
90%+
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#24 of 52
Schools in district
52
District spending per student
$14,995
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
6.5%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 80521)
38,217
Area average commute
19.6 min
Area median age
23

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Colorado Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.