Original Research by School Decision on Achieve Online
Achieve Online is an alternative school in Colorado Springs serving sixth through twelfth grades. It operates as part of Colorado Springs School District 11, the city’s largest traditional public school system. The school’s enrollment is modest for a secondary school, with the upper grades carrying larger numbers than the middle school levels. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The student body is predominantly White, with a Hispanic population that forms the next largest group, followed by smaller Black, multiracial, and Asian populations.
The school is classified as alternative, which sets the context for how to read its academic data. State testing results for the most recent year are largely suppressed, meaning proficiency counts and rates are not reported for any tested subject. The decision to suppress typically reflects small group sizes, a common situation at alternative schools that serve students with varied academic histories. Average scale scores were reported, though the data does not describe how those compare to state benchmarks. More important for a parent considering this school is the participation rate on state assessments: fewer than six in ten tested students took the math assessment, and even fewer took the English language arts and science exams. Low participation can indicate that some students are not taking the tests for reasons tied to their learning plans or that the school serves a population for whom standardized testing is not a good fit. A parent may want to ask the school directly how it approaches assessment and how it tracks student progress outside of state tests.
The district to which Achieve Online belongs has made several notable moves recently. District 11 raised its starting teacher salary substantially and increased pay across the board, a change that can affect teacher quality and stability. The district also cut the number of schools on state turnaround and priority improvement status from nine to three, a signal of broader improvement. For high school students, the district launched the D11 Promise Scholarship with Pikes Peak State College, allowing students to take college courses at no cost. Because Achieve Online serves grades six through twelve, the scholarship could be relevant for families planning ahead.
Colorado Springs is a large, sprawling city built around military installations, aerospace and defense contractors, and tourism. The city’s economy is heavily tied to Fort Carson, Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases, the Air Force Academy, and companies like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. Tourism, anchored by Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods, is the third-largest employer. The city is car-dependent, with commercial strips along major arterials and Interstate 25 running through it for many miles. Walkable nodes exist in the downtown core and historic Old Colorado City, but most neighborhoods are spread out. The population has grown steadily, and the median home value and rent in the school’s zip code area are near the national average. The local housing market has softened slightly in the most recent period.
What is missing from this profile may be as telling as what is present. There is no reported graduation rate, no chronic absenteeism data, and no information on discipline, course access, or staffing. For an alternative school, those gaps may reflect the school’s specialized mission or the way it reports to the state. A parent considering Achieve Online will want to visit the school and ask directly about how students transition to and from the program, what pathways to a diploma look like, and how the school supports students who may have struggled in a traditional setting. The school’s online designation also suggests a remote or blended learning model, which would be a defining feature for any family evaluating fit. The data on hand shows a small alternative school in a large, diverse district, serving a population with significant economic need, where standardized test results are largely unavailable and participation in testing is uneven. That is the picture; a family should fill in the rest through direct inquiry.
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