The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in English language arts. The lowest is 52% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on The Vanguard School (middle)
The Vanguard School (Middle) is a public charter school in Colorado Springs serving seventh and eighth graders. As a charter school within the Harrison School District, it operates with its own governance while remaining part of the district’s broader footprint. The school serves only these two middle grades, so metrics that apply to high schools, such as a graduation rate, do not apply here.
Academically, the school posts results that place it among the strongest middle schools in the county. On the state’s Colorado Measures of Academic Success assessments, a majority of students scored proficient or above in math, and an even larger share did so in English language arts. Science results, from the eighth-grade test, also showed a majority reaching proficiency. When the school’s overall proficiency across these subjects is compared to the county’s other school districts, it falls in the top quartile. That is a clear strength for a family looking for a middle school that is already performing well above the typical level for the area.
The student body is moderate in size and diverse. The largest group of students are white, followed by Hispanic students and then students who identify as two or more races. Smaller shares of Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native students round out the enrollment. A meaningful portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common measure of economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the provided information, so it is unclear what share of the student population receives those services.
The school’s parent district, Harrison 2, recently made news with a voter-approved mill levy that funds the D2 Promise Program. That program covers tuition and fees at Pikes Peak State College for district high school graduates who meet eligibility requirements. While this directly benefits high school students rather than middle schoolers, it signals a district-level commitment to building a postsecondary pathway that families of Vanguard Middle students may eventually tap into.
Colorado Springs itself is a large, sprawling city built around military bases, aerospace and defense contractors, and tourism. Residential neighborhoods are spread across a high-desert plateau, and driving is the dominant way to get around. The economy is anchored by Fort Carson, Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and companies like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. Housing in the area, broadly speaking, has seen a modest recent cooling relative to the national trend, but the cost of buying a home remains substantial, and rents continue to edge up. For a family considering a move to this part of the city, the housing market is a major factor to weigh.
No information was available about the school’s specific program offerings, staffing ratios, or discipline rates, so those cannot be described here. A parent may want to ask the school directly about elective courses, extracurricular activities, and how its charter model translates into the daily classroom experience.
The Vanguard School (Middle) offers a charter choice inside a large district, strong tested performance for a middle school, and a diverse student body. For a family whose priority is academic proficiency in the middle grades, this school stands apart from many others in the county.
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