Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary

Q: Is Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary a good school?

Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary ranks 494 th of 943 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary is a public charter school in Fort Collins, Colorado that serves 176 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school stands out for its diverse student population, with higher percentages of minority and economically disadvantaged students compared to nearby high-performing public schools like Zach Elementary and Shepardson Elementary.

While the school's overall academic performance, as measured by state test scores, is generally lower than its neighbors, it does outperform the Poudre School District and Colorado state averages in certain areas, such as 5th grade Science. The school also maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 13.1, suggesting more individualized attention for students. However, the school's ranking has fluctuated over the years, indicating inconsistent performance and potential challenges in maintaining high academic achievement.

Compared to the nearby high-performing public schools, Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary lags behind in overall English Language Arts and Math proficiency. This suggests the school may need to closely examine its curriculum, instructional practices, and support systems to better serve its diverse student population. The school's focus on arts and knowledge could be a unique selling point, but the data does not provide specific information about the impact of this approach on student learning and engagement.

Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-5

4800 Wheaton Dr
Fort Collins, CO 80525-3400

(970) 226-2800

District: State Charter School Institute

SchoolDigger Rank:
494^th of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,269

Student/teacher ratio: 13.1

Number of students: 176

Racial breakdown:

White:

64.2%

Hispanic:

18.2%

Two or more races:

9.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 46%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary ranks worse than 52.4% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks 6^th among 17 ranked elementary schools in the State Charter School Institute District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 43.14. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the State Charter School Institute District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary is $10,269. 15 elementary schools in the State Charter School Institute District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

State Charter School Institute:

SchoolDigger ranks State Charter School Institute 45^th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2009	38.41	597^th	872	31.5%
2010	50.43	511^th	925	44.8%
2011	64.10	363^rd	935	61.2%
2012	76.44	200^th	935	78.6%
2013	64.29	351^st	954	63.2%
2014	66.57	313^th	962	67.5%
2015	75.42	196^th	938	79.1%
2016	59.13	331^st	914	63.8%
2017	63.12	301^st	929	67.6%
2018	54.59	374^th	917	59.2%
2019	47.91	471^st	965	51.2%
2021	27.23	546^th	710	23.1%
2022	30.21	615^th	921	33.2%
2023	56.73	371^st	933	60.2%
2024	43.14	494^th	943	47.6%

See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for White students at Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	39.37	329^th	525	37.3%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Colorado Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.3)

33%

Reviews:

by a parent
Thursday, July 20, 2017

This is such a wonderful and unique school! No homework in K-3 and only a little in 4-5, class sizes that allow for real learning, enough recess time and a curriculum including art, music and drama rounds out this unique school. My kids absolutely LOVE it here and the teachers and staff really care about the kids! Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, March 10, 2015

the teachers that T R Paul have hired are often 1st year teachers with little to no experience. I have both witnessed and experienced two of the teachers be repeatedly mean to students. The parents have had to change teachers or even schools to avoid this and reduce the harm done to their child. I regret having enrolled my child in this school Close Quote

Enrollment information for Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2007	284	5	21	19	1	n/a	n/a	330
2008	313	13	35	40	3	n/a	n/a	404
2009	287	10	38	39	4	n/a	n/a	378
2010	287	15	33	44	5	n/a	n/a	384
2011	231	19	18	40	4	0	0	312
2012	192	18	15	34	1	0	4	264
2013	202	18	15	48	1	0	5	289
2014	194	11	22	39	3	0	10	279
2015	176	7	16	30	5	0	17	251
2016	173	5	16	41	4	0	16	255
2017	156	2	12	28	1	0	12	211
2018	168	9	7	33	0	1	13	231
2019	155	9	5	24	0	2	13	208
2020	157	5	4	32	0	1	13	212
2021	128	7	4	33	0	1	12	185
2022	114	5	4	18	1	0	10	152
2023	113	9	6	32	0	0	16	176

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	330	24.4	13.5	19.1
2008	404	30.9	13.1	17.6
2009	378	24.5	15.4	22.8
2010	384	33.0	11.6	26
2011	312	18.7	16.6	31.7
2012	264	18.2	14.4	31.1
2013	289	20.8	13.8	38.4
2014	279	22.9	12.1	31.9
2015	251	18.0	13.9	32.7
2016	255	20.0	12.7	25.9
2017	211	15.1	13.9	30.3
2018	231	14.5	15.8	31.6
2019	208	16.1	12.8	36.1
2020	212	15.3	13.8	42.5
2021	185	14.1	13.0	43.8
2022	152	13.3	11.3	42.8
2023	176	13.3	13.1	46

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	330	24.4	13.5	19.1
2008	404	30.9	13.1	17.6
2009	378	24.5	15.4	22.8
2010	384	33.0	11.6	26
2011	312	18.7	16.6	31.7
2012	264	18.2	14.4	31.1
2013	289	20.8	13.8	38.4
2014	279	22.9	12.1	31.9
2015	251	18.0	13.9	32.7
2016	255	20.0	12.7	25.9
2017	211	15.1	13.9	30.3
2018	231	14.5	15.8	31.6
2019	208	16.1	12.8	36.1
2020	212	15.3	13.8	42.5
2021	185	14.1	13.0	43.8
2022	152	13.3	11.3	42.8
2023	176	13.3	13.1	46

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$8,071
2020	$7,739
2021	$8,716
2022	$12,678
2023	$10,269

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 471^st of 965 Elementary schools	Ranks 371^st of 933 Elementary schools	9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary)	30.3	31.3	1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (State Charter School Institute)	40.2	35.5	4.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	41.3	39.9	1.4%
3rd Grade Math (Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary)	18.2	31.3	13.1%
3rd Grade Math (State Charter School Institute)	33.1	37.8	4.7%
3rd Grade Math (Colorado)	41	40.4	0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary)	60.7	58.3	2.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (State Charter School Institute)	43.2	42.1	1.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48	43.8	4.2%
4th Grade Math (Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary)	35.7	25	10.7%
4th Grade Math (State Charter School Institute)	27.7	29.6	1.9%
4th Grade Math (Colorado)	33.6	32.7	0.9%
5th Grade Science (Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary)	33.3	45.2	11.9%
5th Grade Science (State Charter School Institute)	33.4	29.9	3.5%
5th Grade Science (Colorado)	35.9	33.9	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary)	56.7	54.8	1.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (State Charter School Institute)	50.6	45.5	5.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48.4	47.8	0.6%
5th Grade Math (Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary)	43.3	45.2	1.9%
5th Grade Math (State Charter School Institute)	32.8	29.5	3.3%
5th Grade Math (Colorado)	35.7	36.5	0.8%
All Grades English Language Arts (Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary)	48.4	50.7	2.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (State Charter School Institute)	45.6	41.6	4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)	45.8	43.7	2.1%
All Grades Math (Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary)	31.9	35.2	3.3%
All Grades Math (State Charter School Institute)	29.9	28.5	1.4%
All Grades Math (Colorado)	34.7	32.9	1.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	208	176	15.4%
African American	9	9
American Indian	0	0
Asian	5	6	20%
Hispanic	24	32	33.3%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	155	113	27.1%
Two or More Races	13	16	23.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	36.1%	46%	10%

Schools Near Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CMAS English Language Arts (2024)				CMAS Math (2024)				CMAS Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CMAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	Total
Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	4800 Wheaton Dr	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	State Charter School Institute	Yes	No	No	Yes	(970) 226-2800	176	13	13.1	46.0%	113 (64.2%)	9 (5.1%)	32 (18.2%)	6 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (9.1%)	43.1	494^th of 943 public elementary schools	47.6%		56.7	371^st of 933 public elementary schools	60.2%	123	36.6	35.0	65.0	43.2	19.0	25.0	45.0	26.8	55.0	$10,269
Kruse Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4400 McMurry Avenue	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-5625	458	29	15.8	35.6%	312 (68.1%)	4 (0.9%)	106 (23.1%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.2%)	88.2	93^rd of 943 public elementary schools	90.1%		87	99^th of 933 public elementary schools	89.4%	6	62.9	63.8	73.6	66.8	64.3	56.5	69.9	63.7	61.4	$15,095
Werner Elementary School	Public	K-5	5400 Mail Creek Lane	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-5550	392	26	15.1	14.8%	309 (78.8%)	1 (0.3%)	49 (12.5%)	10 (2.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	20 (5.1%)	91.3	67^th of 943 public elementary schools	92.9%		87.5	96^th of 933 public elementary schools	89.7%	29	71.1	66.7	70.6	69.3	73.3	71.4	61.8	68.2	66.2	$19,581
Traut Core Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2515 Timberwood Drive	Fort Collins	80528	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-7500	502	26	19.6	12.2%	331 (65.9%)	2 (0.4%)	57 (11.4%)	77 (15.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	33 (6.6%)	96.6	18^th of 943 public elementary schools	98.1%		97.8	12^th of 933 public elementary schools	98.7%	6	73.3	81.7	85.7	80.1	72.0	83.1	87.0	80.5	72.5	$14,213
Bacon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5844 South Timberline Road	Fort Collins	80528	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-5300	420	31	13.6	17.1%	318 (75.7%)	4 (1.0%)	64 (15.2%)	20 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.3%)	85.8	115^th of 943 public elementary schools	87.8%		81.9	147^th of 933 public elementary schools	84.2%	32	62.5	62.2	62.5	62.4	66.7	64.4	66.7	66.1	55.7	$16,763
Linton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4100 Caribou Drive	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 488-5850	347	30	11.6	58.8%	149 (42.9%)	5 (1.4%)	176 (50.7%)	4 (1.2%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.2%)	28.2	634^th of 943 public elementary schools	32.8%		31.2	598^th of 933 public elementary schools	35.9%	36	32.6	32.7	34.0	33.1	26.7	20.0	32.0	26.2	26.0	$17,248
Shepardson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1501 Springwood Drive	Fort Collins	80525	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-4525	440	29	15.1	21.4%	375 (85.2%)	7 (1.6%)	32 (7.3%)	9 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (3.4%)	85	122^nd of 943 public elementary schools	87.1%		85.8	109^th of 933 public elementary schools	88.3%	13	57.1	72.5	64.5	64.7	58.6	68.7	55.7	61.1	60.7	$16,104
McGraw Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4800 Hinsdale Drive	Fort Collins	80526	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-8335	395	27	14.8	27.3%	316 (80.0%)	3 (0.8%)	58 (14.7%)	5 (1.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.8%)	91.8	57^th of 943 public elementary schools	94.0%		90.3	73^rd of 933 public elementary schools	92.2%	16	67.9	72.4	70.3	70.2	72.7	60.3	67.7	66.9	70.3	$15,308
Lopez Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	637 Wabash Street	Fort Collins	80526	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	No	No	No	No	(970) 488-8800	355	23	15.4	42.0%	245 (69.0%)	9 (2.5%)	77 (21.7%)	6 (1.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.8%)	67.5	291^st of 943 public elementary schools	69.1%		65.2	296^th of 933 public elementary schools	68.3%	5	62.2	53.7	63.0	59.5	44.4	32.1	52.8	43.0	45.3	$15,104
Fort Collins Montessori School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	1109 West Harmony Rd	Fort Collins	80526	Larimer County	Poudre School District R-1	Yes	No	No	No	(970) 631-8612	241	9	25.5		225 (93.4%)	2 (0.8%)	8 (3.3%)	3 (1.2%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	84.7	124^th of 943 public elementary schools	86.9%		64.5	302^nd of 933 public elementary schools	67.6%	178	60.0		85.0	70.1	52.0		57.9	50.7	78.9	$12,940

Frequently Asked Questions about Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary?

Students at Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary are 64% White, 18% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 5% African American, 3% Asian.

How many students attend Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 176 students attended Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary.

Is Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary a good school?

Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary ranks 494^th of 943 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary in?

State Charter School Institute

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Colorado Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.