Is Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning a good school?

Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning ranks 255 th of 943 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning?

In the 2022-23 school year, 287 students attended Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning.

What is the racial makeup of Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning?

Students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning are 73% White, 17% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Summary:

Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning is a public charter elementary school serving 287 students in grades K-8 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which is part of the Colorado Springs School District No. 11. This school consistently outperforms the district and state in academic proficiency, with 54.3% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 58% proficient or better in Math, compared to 37.5% and 29.3% for the district, respectively.

The school's student population is more racially diverse than nearby schools, with a higher percentage of Hispanic and multi-racial students. Additionally, the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 12.2 to 12.8 over the past three years. While the school's overall ranking for gifted and talented students is relatively low, this suggests a potential focus on serving the needs of advanced and high-performing students. Compared to nearby schools like Bristol Elementary School and Howbert Elementary School, Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning consistently outperforms them in academic proficiency.

Overall, Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning appears to be a high-performing public charter school that is effectively serving its diverse student population and providing a strong academic foundation. The school's consistent academic achievements, racial diversity, and potential focus on advanced learners make it a standout option within the Colorado Springs School District No. 11.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

2510 North Chestnut Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80907-5912

(719) 434-6566

District: Colorado Springs School District No. 11

SchoolDigger Rank:
255^th of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 12.2

Number of students: 287

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.8%

Hispanic:

17.4%

Two or more races:

8.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 20.6%

See top rated Colorado elementary schools

Compare Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning ranks better than 73% of elementary schools in Colorado. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.66. (See more...)

Compare Details Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning ranks better than 90.7% of middle schools in Colorado. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.16. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning:

SchoolDigger ranks Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning 255^th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning 45^th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Colorado Springs School District No. 11:

SchoolDigger ranks Colorado Springs School District No. 11 66^th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2013	86.72	94^th	954	90.1%
2014	72.98	248^th	962	74.2%
2015	75.36	197^th	938	79.0%
2016	65.77	280^th	914	69.4%
2017	83.61	120^th	929	87.1%
2018	89.74	72^nd	917	92.1%
2019	80.10	167^th	965	82.7%
2021	70.22	223^rd	710	68.6%
2022	75.76	199^th	921	78.4%
2023	75.40	204^th	933	78.1%
2024	70.66	255^th	943	73.0%

See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	84.92	71^st	642	88.9%

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

Rank History for elementary school Gifted and Talented students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	39.93	88^th	110	20.0%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	61.52	225^th	649	65.3%

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

Rank History for elementary school White students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2019	58.85	221^st	596	62.9%
2022	46.93	258^th	454	43.2%
2023	56.79	224^th	525	57.3%
2024	55.56	238^th	539	55.8%

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

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

Rank History for Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

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Rank History for all middle school students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CO State Percentile
2013	93.92	17^th	454	96.3%
2014	89.19	35^th	461	92.4%
2015	94.10	20^th	436	95.4%
2016	81.68	49^th	400	87.8%
2017	93.23	17^th	424	96.0%
2018	87.41	33^rd	418	92.1%
2019	80.65	65^th	458	85.8%
2022	90.20	34^th	448	92.4%
2023	88.24	47^th	480	90.2%
2024	88.16	45^th	485	90.7%

See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school White students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	72.97	59^th	286	79.4%
2024	66.93	72^nd	273	73.6%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, May 7, 2014

This school is designed for gifted and talented students, who have needs for advanced curriculum and specific teaching strategies. AcademyACL is designed as an entire school where every staff member specializes in gifted education. The vision is to create an academic home for advanced and creative learning, cultivate personal and standards-based excellence and leadership ability, and serve as a resource center for the gifted community of the Pikes Peak Region. Many gifted students feel "different," and one of the very best things about this school is that students are with other kids who understand them. Many students come to this school from settings where they felt isolated and excluded, and at AcademyACL they are accepted and able to focus on learning instead of feeling like an outcast. This is a school that walks the talk of providing a safe atmosphere and practices compassion and kindness. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2011	131	2	8	19	1	0	1	162
2012	192	3	9	32	2	0	6	244
2013	222	3	10	27	2	0	12	276
2014	238	2	10	26	2	0	7	285
2015	231	3	8	25	3	0	14	284
2016	240	0	6	34	6	0	19	305
2017	235	1	2	28	6	0	24	296
2018	239	2	0	34	5	0	21	301
2019	235	2	1	38	3	0	20	299
2020	219	3	1	43	3	1	23	293
2021	212	5	1	50	3	1	24	296
2022	202	6	1	52	2	1	21	285
2023	209	3	0	50	2	0	23	287

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 for Advanced and Creative Learning

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	162	13.2	12.1	20.4
2012	244	19.3	12.5	22.5
2013	276	23.0	11.9	15.2
2014	285	19.0	14.9	21.8
2015	284	25.0	11.3	21.8
2016	305	21.0	14.5	18.4
2017	296	23.9	12.3	16.6
2018	301	24.5	12.2	16.3
2019	299	22.0	13.5	14.7
2020	293	21.0	13.9	15
2021	296	23.4	12.6	15.5
2022	285	22.2	12.8	15.8
2023	287	23.3	12.2	20.6

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 for Advanced and Creative Learning

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	162	13.2	12.1	20.4
2012	244	19.3	12.5	22.5
2013	276	23.0	11.9	15.2
2014	285	19.0	14.9	21.8
2015	284	25.0	11.3	21.8
2016	305	21.0	14.5	18.4
2017	296	23.9	12.3	16.6
2018	301	24.5	12.2	16.3
2019	299	22.0	13.5	14.7
2020	293	21.0	13.9	15
2021	296	23.4	12.6	15.5
2022	285	22.2	12.8	15.8
2023	287	23.3	12.2	20.6

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 for Advanced and Creative Learning

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$6,982
2020	$7,184
2021	$7,275
2022	$9,494
2023	$9,794

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

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 167^th of 965 Elementary schools	Ranks 204^th of 933 Elementary schools	4.6%
Ranks 65^th of 458 Middle schools	Ranks 47^th of 480 Middle schools	4.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning)	50	46.7	3.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado Springs School District No. 11)	41.4	34.6	6.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48	43.8	4.2%
4th Grade Math (Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning)	61.8	60	1.8%
4th Grade Math (Colorado Springs School District No. 11)	32.4	27.2	5.2%
4th Grade Math (Colorado)	33.6	32.7	0.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning)	84.8	64.1	20.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado Springs School District No. 11)	41.5	42.8	1.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48.4	47.8	0.6%
5th Grade Math (Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning)	57.6	61.5	3.9%
5th Grade Math (Colorado Springs School District No. 11)	32.7	33	0.3%
5th Grade Math (Colorado)	35.7	36.5	0.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning)	51.6	63.3	11.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado Springs School District No. 11)	36.4	34.6	1.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	43.6	43.4	0.2%
6th Grade Math (Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning)	50	56.7	6.7%
6th Grade Math (Colorado Springs School District No. 11)	20.1	22.2	2.1%
6th Grade Math (Colorado)	29.5	28.2	1.3%
7th Grade Math (Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning)	61.5	44.4	17.1%
7th Grade Math (Colorado Springs School District No. 11)	23.1	18.7	4.4%
7th Grade Math (Colorado)	31.6	26.3	5.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning)	65.5	75	9.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado Springs School District No. 11)	39.4	35.9	3.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	46.9	42.4	4.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning)	61.7	56.9	4.8%
All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado Springs School District No. 11)	39.5	35.8	3.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)	45.8	43.7	2.1%
All Grades Math (Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning)	54.1	57.5	3.4%
All Grades Math (Colorado Springs School District No. 11)	29	27.1	1.9%
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	299	287	4%
African American	2	3	50%
American Indian	3	2	33.3%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	38	50	31.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	235	209	11.1%
Two or More Races	20	23	15%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	14.7%	20.6%	5.8%

Schools Near Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

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 6th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math 6th Grade	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	CMAS Science 8th Grade	Total
Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning	Public, Charter	K-8	2510 North Chestnut Street	Colorado Springs	80907	El Paso County	Colorado Springs School District No. 11	Yes	No	No	No	(719) 434-6566	287	23	12.2	20.6%	209 (72.8%)	3 (1.0%)	50 (17.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (8.0%)	70.7	255^th of 943 public elementary schools	73.0%		75.4	204^th of 933 public elementary schools	78.1%	51	40.0	46.7	43.3	66.7	70.0	60.9	54.3	68.0	37.9	55.2	61.1	60.0	69.6	58.0	51.7	47.8	$9,794
Steele Elementary School	Public	K-5	1720 North Weber Street	Colorado Springs	80907	El Paso County	Colorado Springs School District No. 11	No	No	No	No	(719) 328-4700	252	16	16.1	21.0%	199 (79.0%)	9 (3.6%)	24 (9.5%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.3%)	86.7	109^th of 943 public elementary schools	88.4%		88.1	90^th of 933 public elementary schools	90.4%	19	59.1	57.1	71.4				62.8	54.5	62.9	79.1				65.6	76.7		$17,191
Bristol Elementary School	Public	K-5	890 North Walnut Street	Colorado Springs	80905	El Paso County	Colorado Springs School District No. 11	No	No	No	No	(719) 328-4000	261	17	15.2	59.4%	140 (53.6%)	10 (3.8%)	83 (31.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (10.3%)	67.7	289^th of 943 public elementary schools	69.4%		69.2	260^th of 933 public elementary schools	72.1%	29	56.8	44.8	66.7				57.4	45.5	42.9	44.2				44.3	48.8		$16,755
Howbert Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1023 North 31st Street	Colorado Springs	80904	El Paso County	Colorado Springs School District No. 11	No	No	No	No	(719) 328-4200	253	16	15.3	42.3%	193 (76.3%)	4 (1.6%)	43 (17.0%)	4 (1.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.2%)	64.4	321^st of 943 public elementary schools	66.0%		69.3	259^th of 933 public elementary schools	72.2%	62	58.6	40.5	61.4				53.0	43.3	31.7	50.0				41.9	54.3		$18,104
Jackson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4340 Edwinstowe Avenue	Colorado Springs	80907	El Paso County	Colorado Springs School District No. 11	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 328-5800	342	22	15.5	81.9%	132 (38.6%)	26 (7.6%)	142 (41.5%)	3 (0.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (10.8%)	30.9	606^th of 943 public elementary schools	35.7%		22.6	701^st of 933 public elementary schools	24.9%	95	28.8	40.7	42.2				37.1	28.3	9.3	32.6				22.9	30.4		$17,854
Taylor Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	900 East Buena Ventura Street	Colorado Springs	80907	El Paso County	Colorado Springs School District No. 11	No	No	No	No	(719) 328-3500	160	11	14.6	55.6%	75 (46.9%)	13 (8.1%)	50 (31.3%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	19 (11.9%)	40.4	523^rd of 943 public elementary schools	44.5%		33.9	570^th of 933 public elementary schools	38.9%	47	29.6	56.3	50.0				42.4	21.4	37.5	43.8				31.7	25.0		$19,008
Stratton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2460 Paseo Road	Colorado Springs	80907	El Paso County	Colorado Springs School District No. 11	No	No	No	No	(719) 328-3400	286	19	15.3	36.4%	193 (67.5%)	21 (7.3%)	55 (19.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	2 (0.7%)	13 (4.5%)	78.2	183^rd of 943 public elementary schools	80.6%		75	209^th of 933 public elementary schools	77.6%	26	60.9	71.0	60.7				63.2	66.0	51.6	50.9				56.4	45.5		$17,636
West Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	25 North 20th Street	Colorado Springs	80904	El Paso County	Colorado Springs School District No. 11	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 328-4900	173	16	11.0	79.8%	96 (55.5%)	6 (3.5%)	62 (35.8%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	6 (3.5%)	27.7	640^th of 943 public elementary schools	32.1%		27.2	641^st of 933 public elementary schools	31.3%	1	33.3	20.7	28.6				26.8	54.5	20.0	24.0				31.2	20.8		$22,077
Edison Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3125 North Hancock Avenue	Colorado Springs	80907	El Paso County	Colorado Springs School District No. 11	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 328-2800	263	20	13.3	76.8%	107 (40.7%)	15 (5.7%)	130 (49.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.8%)	24.7	680^th of 943 public elementary schools	27.9%		29	613^th of 933 public elementary schools	34.3%	67	16.1	29.6	21.1				21.9	28.1	26.9	36.8				31.3	23.7		$19,006
Mountain Song Community School	Public, Charter	K-8	2904 West Kiowa Street	Colorado Springs	80904	El Paso County	State Charter School Institute	Yes	No	No	No	(719) 203-6364	326	22	14.5		208 (63.8%)	7 (2.1%)	75 (23.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (9.8%)	31.6	595^th of 943 public elementary schools	36.9%		40.1	520^th of 933 public elementary schools	44.3%	75	12.5	27.8	43.8	50.0			34.7				25.0			11.0	29.0		$10,376

Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Colorado Springs School District No. 11:

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Rank History for all elementary school students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Rank History for elementary school Gifted and Talented students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Rank History for elementary school White students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Rank History for Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Rank History for all middle school students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Rank History for middle school White students at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Review counts

Enrollment information for Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Student/Teacher Ratio Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Per Pupil Expenditures for Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Impact of COVID-19 on Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Frequently Asked Questions about Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

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