The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in Science. The lowest is 40% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Prairie Hills Elementary School
Prairie Hills Elementary School is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade, part of Academy School District 20 in Colorado Springs. The school sits within a large, sprawling city where the economy is dominated by military installations and defense contractors, alongside aerospace, tourism, and a growing residential sector. Housing values in the area are roughly in line with state medians, and the market has seen a mild softening recently, with rents stable. For a family considering this neighborhood, the housing costs are substantial relative to national incomes, and monthly mortgage costs outpace rents by a considerable margin.
The student body is broadly representative of the surrounding community. The largest share of students is white, followed by Hispanic students and a smaller number of students who identify with two or more races. Black and Asian students each account for a modest presence. About two in five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that places the school in a middle ground economically compared with schools serving higher- and lower-income neighborhoods in the region.
Academically, Prairie Hills presents a picture of solid performance with clear differences across subjects. On the Colorado Measures of Academic Success, the school’s English language arts proficiency rate is above the midpoint for elementary schools in the district and well above the median among all schools in El Paso County. Math proficiency is lower, landing around the middle of the range for the district and below what typical peers in the county achieve. Science performance, which is tested only in fifth grade, is stronger, with a majority of students meeting or exceeding the state’s standards. Taken together, the school’s overall proficiency index—a combined measure across tested subjects—placed it in the top quartile relative to other elementary schools in El Paso County, driven heavily by its reading and science results.
Parents should note that participation rates on state tests exceeded nine in ten for math and English, but dipped slightly lower for science, which is common for a single grade-level test. The data on chronic absenteeism and the share of students receiving special education services or classified as English learners were not available, so a family interested in support structures for those populations may wish to ask the school directly.
Prairie Hills does not have a charter or magnet designation, and the school’s Title I status was not reported. There is no information about program offerings such as gifted education, arts, or STEM tracks, so families looking for specialized curricular options should verify with the school what is available beyond the core academic program. The district itself recently passed a major bond initiative to rebuild schools on the U.S. Air Force Academy, which brought additional federal funding and signals ongoing facility investment across the district, though it is not clear whether Prairie Hills directly benefits from that project.
For a parent or resident evaluating this school, the main takeaway is of a neighborhood elementary that delivers above-average reading and science outcomes relative to other schools in the county while math results are more typical. The student body is economically diverse but not heavily concentrated in poverty. The school is not located on a military base, but is part of a district that serves many military-connected families given Colorado Springs’s large active-duty and veteran population. Families who prioritize strong literacy instruction and a broad peer mix will find Prairie Hills a solid fit. Those whose main concern is math performance may want to ask how the school supports students who are not yet proficient, and whether enrichment or intervention programs are in place.
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