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Explorer Elementary School

Summary:

Explorer Elementary School is a public elementary school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, serving 471 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Academy School District No. 20, which is ranked 8th out of 116 districts in Colorado and has a 5-star rating.

Explorer Elementary stands out for its consistently high academic performance, with proficiency rates on CMAS assessments that exceed the state averages in both English Language Arts and Math across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates were 50% in ELA and 54.1% in Math, compared to the state averages of 44.1% and 34.2%, respectively. Additionally, Explorer Elementary has a relatively low percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, ranging from 14.57% to 17.83% over the past three years, significantly lower than nearby schools like Freedom Elementary (35.84%) and Pioneer Elementary (46.55%).

While Explorer Elementary has a higher percentage of White students (65.18%) compared to the surrounding schools, which range from 50% to 70.08% White students, the school's racial makeup is less diverse than some of its neighbors, such as Freedom Elementary and Pioneer Elementary. Additionally, Explorer Elementary has a lower student-teacher ratio, ranging from 15.4 to 17.7 over the past three years, compared to the surrounding schools, which have ratios ranging from 10.3 to 18.1.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 4190 Bardot Drive
       Colorado Springs, CO  80920-7507

(719) 234-4400

District: Academy School District No. 20

SchoolDigger Rank:
277th of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,255 Help


Students who attend Explorer Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Timberview Middle School
High:    Liberty High School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.4 Help
Number of students:  471

Racial breakdown:

White:
65.2%
Hispanic:
17.0%
Two or more races:
8.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  17.8% Help


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 Compare Explorer Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Explorer Elementary School ranks better than 70.6% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks 13th among 21 ranked elementary schools in the Academy School District No. 20. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.09. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Explorer Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Academy School District No. 20.  (See more...)
Teachers
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Explorer Elementary School is $12,255. 12 elementary schools in the Academy School District No. 20 spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Explorer Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Explorer Elementary School 277th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Explorer Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Academy School District No. 20:

SchoolDigger ranks Academy School District No. 20 8th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Explorer Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Explorer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 87.02 70th 808 91.3%
2005 87.89 56th 823 93.2%
2006 88.21 55th 829 93.4%
2007 89.03 46th 852 94.6%
2008 88.75 53rd 849 93.8%
2009 87.88 69th 872 92.1%
2010 88.70 68th 925 92.6%
2011 78.74 174th 935 81.4%
2012 83.38 123rd 935 86.8%
2013 79.12 181st 954 81.0%
2014 88.41 75th 962 92.2%
2015 87.00 96th 938 89.8%
2016 75.92 182nd 914 80.1%
2017 78.05 177th 929 80.9%
2018 81.24 157th 917 82.9%
2019 84.15 124th 965 87.2%
2021 80.02 156th 710 78.0%
2022 69.77 257th 921 72.1%
2023 73.06 223rd 933 76.1%
2024 69.09 277th 943 70.6%
See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Explorer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 82.37 26th 365 92.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Explorer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.59 180th 690 73.9%
2019 75.37 159th 758 79.0%
2021 72.82 106th 351 69.8%
2022 65.55 195th 595 67.2%
2023 61.88 225th 642 65.0%
2024 67.84 201st 684 70.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Explorer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.01 130th 693 81.2%
2019 81.38 111th 764 85.5%
2021 68.96 128th 352 63.6%
2022 56.37 245th 594 58.8%
2023 65.74 197th 649 69.6%
2024 54.25 296th 683 56.7%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Explorer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.56 100th 337 70.3%
2019 66.79 167th 596 72.0%
2021 67.55 102nd 288 64.6%
2022 46.50 260th 454 42.7%
2023 51.95 248th 525 52.8%
2024 40.89 335th 539 37.8%
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.

Explorer Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Colorado Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Explorer Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 276 13 3 9 2 n/a n/a 0 303
1991 399 14 8 14 0 n/a n/a 0 435
1992 525 20 9 22 0 n/a n/a 0 576
1993 587 22 5 11 0 n/a n/a 0 625
1994 472 20 3 11 2 n/a n/a 0 508
1995 431 15 6 13 6 n/a n/a 0 471
1996 431 15 6 13 6 n/a n/a 0 471
1997 454 11 6 26 4 n/a n/a 0 501
1998 446 12 7 28 4 n/a n/a 0 497
1999 363 8 4 25 1 n/a n/a 0 401
2000 396 11 8 33 1 n/a n/a 0 449
2001 455 19 11 38 2 n/a n/a 0 525
2002 479 16 19 40 1 n/a n/a 0 555
2003 479 16 19 40 1 n/a n/a 0 555
2004 484 16 23 39 1 n/a n/a 0 563
2005 469 16 26 38 2 n/a n/a 0 551
2006 481 18 25 44 1 n/a n/a 0 569
2007 458 20 30 39 2 n/a n/a 0 549
2008 434 20 28 29 3 n/a n/a 0 514
2009 428 23 21 26 1 n/a n/a 0 499
2010 428 22 17 46 2 n/a n/a 0 515
2011 411 13 12 71 0 1 21 0 529
2012 389 14 7 76 1 1 34 0 522
2013 382 16 8 71 3 1 40 0 521
2014 392 10 4 69 5 1 36 0 517
2015 390 10 3 67 5 0 30 0 505
2016 378 10 5 71 5 1 34 0 504
2017 387 13 5 64 4 2 36 0 511
2018 381 11 6 70 3 1 34 0 506
2019 375 14 7 71 3 1 35 0 506
2020 369 17 10 77 0 4 34 0 511
2021 329 18 15 71 0 3 30 0 466
2022 336 19 17 82 0 5 35 0 494
2023 307 22 16 80 0 5 41 0 471

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 Explorer Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 303 16.6 18.2 1
1991 435 20.6 21.1 2.1
1992 576 26.7 21.5 1
1993 625 32.2 19.4 1.4
1994 508 27.6 18.4 2
1995 471 25.5 18.5 1.7
1996 471 25.5 18.5 1.7
1997 501 25.9 19.3 0.2
1998 497 29.4 16.9 1.2
1999 401 27.4 14.6 0.5
2000 449 26.9 16.7 1.8
2001 525 29.1 18.0 1
2002 555 30.0 18.5 0.5
2003 555 30.0 18.5 0.5
2004 563 31.3 18.0 4.3
2005 551 30.6 18.0 5.6
2006 569 31.4 18.1 4.4
2007 549 32.0 17.2 5.1
2008 514 31.0 16.6 5.6
2009 499 31.0 16.1 9.6
2010 515 31.2 16.5 12
2011 529 32.2 16.4 10.8
2012 522 33.2 15.7 14.6
2013 521 33.2 15.6 13.8
2014 517 32.2 16.0 14.9
2015 505 32.0 15.7 12.7
2016 504 32.0 15.7 15.1
2017 511 31.7 16.1 15.7
2018 506 31.5 16.0 18.4
2019 506 30.5 16.5 16
2020 511 28.6 17.8 14.5
2021 466 27.0 17.2 16.1
2022 494 27.8 17.7 14.6
2023 471 30.5 15.4 17.8

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 Explorer Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 303 16.6 18.2 1
1991 435 20.6 21.1 2.1
1992 576 26.7 21.5 1
1993 625 32.2 19.4 1.4
1994 508 27.6 18.4 2
1995 471 25.5 18.5 1.7
1996 471 25.5 18.5 1.7
1997 501 25.9 19.3 0.2
1998 497 29.4 16.9 1.2
1999 401 27.4 14.6 0.5
2000 449 26.9 16.7 1.8
2001 525 29.1 18.0 1
2002 555 30.0 18.5 0.5
2003 555 30.0 18.5 0.5
2004 563 31.3 18.0 4.3
2005 551 30.6 18.0 5.6
2006 569 31.4 18.1 4.4
2007 549 32.0 17.2 5.1
2008 514 31.0 16.6 5.6
2009 499 31.0 16.1 9.6
2010 515 31.2 16.5 12
2011 529 32.2 16.4 10.8
2012 522 33.2 15.7 14.6
2013 521 33.2 15.6 13.8
2014 517 32.2 16.0 14.9
2015 505 32.0 15.7 12.7
2016 504 32.0 15.7 15.1
2017 511 31.7 16.1 15.7
2018 506 31.5 16.0 18.4
2019 506 30.5 16.5 16
2020 511 28.6 17.8 14.5
2021 466 27.0 17.2 16.1
2022 494 27.8 17.7 14.6
2023 471 30.5 15.4 17.8

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 Explorer Elementary School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $10,228
2020 $9,626
2021 $10,236
2022 $10,725
2023 $12,255

Data source: Colorado Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Explorer Elementary School

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 124th of 965 Elementary schoolsRanks 223rd of 933 Elementary schools
 11.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Explorer Elementary School)65.851.4
 14.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Academy School District No. 20)54.650.1
 4.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)41.339.9
 1.4%
3rd Grade Math (Explorer Elementary School)73.158.9
 14.2%
   3rd Grade Math (Academy School District No. 20)55.854.6
 1.2%
   3rd Grade Math (Colorado)4140.4
 0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Explorer Elementary School)72.544.3
 28.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Academy School District No. 20)64.358.8
 5.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)4843.8
 4.2%
4th Grade Math (Explorer Elementary School)50.745.6
 5.1%
   4th Grade Math (Academy School District No. 20)50.548.9
 1.6%
   4th Grade Math (Colorado)33.632.7
 0.9%
5th Grade Science (Explorer Elementary School)5649.2
 6.8%
   5th Grade Science (Academy School District No. 20)54.948.1
 6.8%
   5th Grade Science (Colorado)35.933.9
 2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Explorer Elementary School)66.771.2
 4.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Academy School District No. 20)67.365.1
 2.2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)48.447.8
 0.6%
5th Grade Math (Explorer Elementary School)42.348.5
 6.2%
   5th Grade Math (Academy School District No. 20)51.353.4
 2.1%
   5th Grade Math (Colorado)35.736.5
 0.8%
All Grades English Language Arts (Explorer Elementary School)68.254.8
 13.4%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Academy School District No. 20)6260.4
 1.6%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)45.843.7
 2.1%
All Grades Math (Explorer Elementary School)55.650.9
 4.7%
   All Grades Math (Academy School District No. 20)49.848.6
 1.2%
   All Grades Math (Colorado)34.732.9
 1.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students506471
 6.9%
African American1422
 57.1%
American Indian30
 100%
Asian716
 128.6%
Hispanic7180
 12.7%
Pacific Islander15
 400%
White375307
 18.1%
Two or More Races3541
 17.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients16%17.8%
 1.8%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Explorer Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 471 students attended Explorer Elementary School.

Explorer Elementary School ranks 277th of 943 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Explorer Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Timberview Middle School
High : Liberty High School

Students at Explorer Elementary School are 65% White, 17% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 5% African American, 3% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander.


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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.




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