The top reported proficiency rate is 16% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Stratton Meadows Elementary School
Stratton Meadows Elementary School serves students from preschool through fifth grade as a regular public school in Colorado Springs, part of Harrison School District 2. The school sits within a large, sprawling city shaped by military bases, aerospace and defense contractors, and a growing tourism sector. Families considering this school will find a student body that is diverse in its racial and ethnic makeup and one where a large majority of students come from low-income households, as measured by the share qualifying for free or reduced-price meals.
Enrollment is moderate for an elementary school. Hispanic students make up the largest group, followed by White students, Black students, students of two or more races, Asian students, Native American students, and Pacific Islander students. The school does not publish data on the share of students with individualized education programs or English learners, so families who need that information should ask the school directly.
State testing results in the most recent year show that overall academic performance is low relative to other schools in El Paso County. On the Colorado Measures of Academic Success, the proficiency rate in English language arts was roughly one in six students, and in fifth-grade science it was about one in twelve. Math results for all tested grades were suppressed by the state, so no proficiency rate is publicly reported. When averaged across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s proficiency index falls in the bottom quarter among county peers. Participation rates on all three tests were above ninety-five percent, meaning nearly all enrolled students took the assessments, so the results reflect the full student population rather than a subset.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report. The district, Harrison School District 2, does not post data on chronic absenteeism for this school, so that picture is incomplete.
On the district level, a notable development is the D2 Promise Program, approved by voters in 2024. It commits public funding to cover free college tuition and fees at Pikes Peak State College for all qualifying district high school graduates, continuing through the end of the decade. This program may be relevant to families who plan to stay in the district through high school, even if their child is currently in elementary school.
Colorado Springs is a car-dependent city with commercial corridors along major arterials and Interstate 25. The local economy is dominated by the military, including Fort Carson, Peterson and Schriever space force bases, and the U.S. Air Force Academy, as well as defense contractors and tourism. Home values in the school’s ZIP code are slightly below the statewide median but above the national median, with rents that are typical for a large Western city. The metropolitan area has grown steadily over the past two decades, and new public investment continues in the city’s infrastructure and cultural attractions.
Families who value a diverse, high-poverty school community and want to understand the academic starting point should be aware that test results here are low. The suppressed math score may be a particular concern for parents who want to track growth in that subject; the school may be able to provide more context upon request. The Promise Program is a distinctive district offering that could change the high school and postsecondary trajectory for students who remain in Harrison 2 through graduation. For those looking at this school as a neighborhood option within one of Colorado Springs’ many residential areas, Stratton Meadows presents a clear profile: a high-need elementary school where academic proficiency is a challenge and where the district has made a visible financial commitment to college access at the secondary level.
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