The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Adams Elementary School
Adams Elementary School, part of Colorado Springs School District 11, serves students from preschool through fifth grade in a neighborhood setting east of downtown Colorado Springs. The school’s student body is diverse, with a substantial share of students from Hispanic backgrounds and a significant White population, along with Black, two-or-more-races, and smaller Asian and American Indian or Alaska Native groups. The large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing this among schools where a high proportion of families face economic challenges. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and no Title I status was reported in available data.
State assessment results for the most recent year show that in math, a modest portion of students met the proficiency benchmark, while in English language arts the share was slightly higher but still low. Science results for fifth graders were also in a range that parents may want to investigate further with the school. A participation rate near a near-universal level means these results reflect nearly every student in tested grades. The school sits in the bottom quartile among its comparison set for overall proficiency, which is the mean of results across tested subjects and grades relative to other elementary schools in El Paso County. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was not available in this profile.
The neighborhood context for Adams Elementary is the city of Colorado Springs, a large and sprawling city with a strong military presence through Fort Carson, Peterson and Schriever Space Force bases, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Defense and aerospace companies anchor the economy alongside tourism at Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods park. The city saw substantial population growth in recent decades and continues to develop outward. The housing market in the school’s immediate area shows home values that are modest compared to state-level benchmarks but still represent a considerable expense for many area families. The area is car-dependent given the city’s vast geography, with limited walkability outside specific nodes.
At the district level, Colorado Springs School District 11 has made several recent changes that affect families at Adams Elementary. The district raised starting teacher salaries and increased pay across the board, a move aimed at improving teacher recruitment and retention. It also reduced the number of schools on the state’s lowest accountability ratings from nine to three, a sign of improving overall school performance. In partnership with Pikes Peak State College, the district launched the D11 Promise Scholarship, which allows high school students to take college courses at no cost; that program does not directly affect elementary students now, but it is a resource that would become available in later years.
Families evaluating Adams Elementary should consider its academic results as a starting point. The school serves a population with high economic need, its test scores are low relative to other schools in the county, and the district is actively working on teacher compensation and school improvement. Parents may want to speak with the school about what academic supports are in place, how the school addresses the needs of its student body, and what the specific plans are for raising student performance. The school’s size and grade span mean it is a typical neighborhood elementary school that feeds into middle and high schools in District 11. For families who prioritize test score profiles and relative comparison across schools, this school likely falls short; for those who are committed to a neighborhood school with a diverse enrollment and are willing to engage with the school around academic support, it may be a workable fit. The housing in the area is more affordable than many parts of the city and state, which may be a factor for families deciding among school options.
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