Enrollment
298
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Colorado Springs, CO
Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning
Federal NCES profile for Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080306006456Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of Colorado schools.
- #4 of 51
- elementary schools in Colorado Springs · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13:1
- small classes for Colorado
- 15.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning has class sizes smaller than 76% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning ranks #4 of 51 elementary schools in Colorado Springs, CO.
School address
NCES ID 080306006456 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
15.7%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning
Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning is a lower-poverty, mid-sized charter elementary school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, enrolling 298 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13:1 puts it in the smaller third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 15.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 298 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 267 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #22, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 43/100).
Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the County of E also operates Doherty High School (1,715 students) and Coronado High School (1,279 students) alongside Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning compares
Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13:1 | ▼ 22% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.7% | ▼ 59% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 298 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
298
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
15.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% below the Colorado average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 24% in Colorado - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$14,342
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 72.5%
Hispanic or Latino 18.5%
Two or More 7.7%
African American 1.0%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 72.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.4, Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the County of E, which includes Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning.
$14,342
Per student
-12%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.8%
State 40.3%
Federal 11.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doherty High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Coronado High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palmer High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jenkins Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mitchell High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,715
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,279
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,265
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 791
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 757
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 63/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Colorado, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~298 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning's federal record.
- Compare Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning against another school. Compare schools
- Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the County of E's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning
How many students attend Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning?
Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning has 298 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Colorado Springs, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning?
The student-teacher ratio at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning is 13:1, which is 22% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 17% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning?
15.7% of students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning?
The largest demographic group at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning is White at 72.5% of enrollment, in Colorado Springs, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning?
Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning rank among elementary schools in Colorado Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning ranks #4 of 51 elementary schools in Colorado Springs, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Colorado Springs on the city page.
Is Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning a good school?
Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of Colorado schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the County of E?
Besides Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning, Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the County of E also operates Doherty High School (1,715 students), Coronado High School (1,279 students), and Palmer High School (1,265 students). See the Colorado Springs School District No. 11 in the County of E district page for the complete list.
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Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.