Original Research by School Decision on Harold Ferguson High School
Harold Ferguson High School is an alternative high school in Loveland, Colorado, serving grades nine through twelve as part of the Thompson School District R-2J. Alternative schools are typically designed for students who benefit from a setting different from a conventional comprehensive high school, whether due to academic pacing, credit recovery, behavioral supports, or other individualized needs. That designation shapes every aspect of what a parent or resident can expect here, including what data is available to judge the school’s performance.
The school is small. Enrollment is distributed unevenly across the grade levels, with the largest group in the senior class and the smallest in the entering freshman class, a pattern that often reflects a program where students transfer in to complete credits or earn a diploma. The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic representation and small shares of students who are American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black, or of two or more races. Data on economic disadvantage, special education status, and English learner status were not reported, so it is not possible to describe those dimensions from the available record.
State testing data was not available for Harold Ferguson High School, and no graduation rate was reported either. For an alternative school, gaps in these metrics are not unusual; alternative programs may operate under different state assessment requirements or may serve students who take modified exams. Still, the absence means that a parent or resident cannot compare achievement or completion rates to other district high schools using the standard public measures. Anyone evaluating this school would want to ask the school or district directly about academic outcomes, graduation rates, and how student progress is tracked.
The school sits in Loveland, a city that blends a historic downtown core with fast-growing commercial development at the Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 34 interchange. The economy includes manufacturing firms, a major medical center, and a substantial retail hub, while many residents commute to Fort Collins, Denver, and other Front Range employment centers. Loveland has grown steadily in recent years, pushing its city limits eastward into the Centerra area. Housing values have softened slightly in the most recent period, and rents have risen, consistent with broader Front Range trends. The Thompson School District recently passed two bond measures and mill levy overrides, in 2022 and 2024, which fund facility improvements, safety upgrades, and operating revenue across the district’s schools.
Harold Ferguson High School is part of that district but is distinct in its mission. Without tested academic data or a publicly reported graduation rate, the available picture is one of a small, alternative program serving a mix of students, many of whom are in the upper grades. A parent considering this school would want to learn directly from the school about its approach, its student outcomes, and the pathways it offers for earning a diploma. The alternative label itself signals that this is not a typical high school experience; whether that fits a particular student depends on the student’s circumstances and the school’s actual program.
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