Horizon Middle School

Summary:

Horizon Middle School is a public middle school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, serving 761 students in grades 6-8 as part of the El Paso County Colorado School District 49. While the school has a relatively diverse student population, it faces challenges with academic performance and socioeconomic factors that may be impacting student achievement.

Horizon Middle School stands out for its higher racial diversity compared to nearby schools like Skyview Middle School and Jenkins Middle School. However, the school also has a significantly higher percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with over 53% receiving free or reduced-price lunch. This socioeconomic factor may be contributing to Horizon's academic struggles, as the school's CMAS test scores in math and English language arts are lower than the district and state averages.

Compared to nearby schools, Horizon Middle School generally performs worse academically, with a declining statewide ranking and significant disparities in the performance of different student subgroups. For example, the school's Hispanic students outperform its White students, indicating a need to address achievement gaps. To improve student outcomes, the school and district may need to implement targeted interventions and support systems to help all students succeed, regardless of their socioeconomic background or racial/ethnic identity.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1750 Piros Drive
       Colorado Springs, CO  80915-4307


(719) 495-5210

District: El Paso County Colorado School District 49

SchoolDigger Rank:
259th of 485 Colorado Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,300 Help


Students who attend Horizon Middle School usually attend:

High:    Sand Creek High School

Feeder schools for Horizon Middle School:

Elementary:    Evans Elementary School
    Remington Elementary School
    Springs Ranch Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.6 Help
Number of students:  761

Racial breakdown:

White:
43.2%
Hispanic:
32.5%
Two or more races:
12.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  53.5% Help


 See top rated Colorado middle schools

 Compare Horizon Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Horizon Middle School ranks worse than 53.4% of middle schools in Colorado. It also ranks last among 3 ranked middle schools in the El Paso County Colorado School District 49. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 38.89. (See more...)
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
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Compare Details Horizon Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the El Paso County Colorado School District 49.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Horizon Middle School is $14,300, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the El Paso County Colorado School District 49!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Horizon Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Horizon Middle School 259th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Horizon Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


El Paso County Colorado School District 49:

SchoolDigger ranks El Paso County Colorado School District 49 44th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Horizon Middle School.

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Rank History for Horizon Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 53.29 158th 336 53.0%
2005 55.81 159th 340 53.2%
2006 46.29 201st 346 41.9%
2007 56.14 165th 360 54.2%
2008 59.04 146th 362 59.7%
2009 56.62 171st 377 54.6%
2010 61.31 162nd 409 60.4%
2011 53.92 208th 422 50.7%
2012 55.20 202nd 425 52.5%
2013 46.56 259th 454 43.0%
2014 43.22 265th 461 42.5%
2015 28.39 312th 436 28.4%
2016 18.72 337th 400 15.8%
2017 34.34 262nd 424 38.2%
2018 39.83 238th 418 43.1%
2019 48.28 219th 458 52.2%
2021 26.09 281st 369 23.8%
2022 43.24 235th 448 47.5%
2023 43.24 242nd 480 49.6%
2024 38.89 259th 485 46.6%
See the entire list of Colorado Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.99 13th 14 7.1%
2019 35.78 22nd 31 29.0%
2022 19.15 7th 7 0.0%
2023 50.22 10th 17 41.2%
2024 29.24 19th 25 24.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.22 62nd 222 72.1%
2019 70.31 42nd 240 82.5%
2022 58.82 55th 197 72.1%
2023 58.42 71st 241 70.5%
2024 51.32 99th 244 59.4%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.04 200th 315 36.5%
2019 43.79 187th 352 46.9%
2022 34.96 198th 326 39.3%
2023 38.09 203rd 363 44.1%
2024 33.28 216th 350 38.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.32 73rd 121 39.7%
2019 65.07 45th 134 66.4%
2024 42.78 92nd 126 27.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.92 164th 317 48.3%
2019 45.81 173rd 343 49.6%
2022 41.19 173rd 328 47.3%
2023 38.65 187th 356 47.5%
2024 35.93 204th 357 42.9%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 73.26 6th 33 81.8%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.04 68th 165 58.8%
2019 48.53 103rd 220 53.2%
2022 58.89 55th 169 67.5%
2023 41.82 109th 198 44.9%
2024 43.85 97th 199 51.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Horizon Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.56 137th 199 31.2%
2019 33.07 191st 283 32.5%
2022 30.61 187th 265 29.4%
2023 32.13 197th 286 31.1%
2024 27.42 199th 273 27.1%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Middle 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.

Horizon Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, April 12, 2019

Open Quote I am not even sure where to begin with this school. This is one of the absolute worst places to send a child. The principal is not really in touch with his teachers or curriculum and does not get involved with anything. The director of this site is just as worthless. Teachers here are not monitored and therefore participate in bullying students and degrading them if not the teachers pet. Children here are often forgotten with comments such as I "....was doing fine until the 3rd assessment then went down hill. Thank you. I do apologize for not having contacted you earlier in the quarter" what type of communication or explanation is that? Children here are asked to write goals and then told that they are inaccurate and therefore not receiving credit for their opinion. Its their goal why are they being told what to say and if it is not all glamorous and flattering then the kids are punished yet, lol, we don't tell the kids what to write but they just cant say....." Then yes that is exactly telling the kids what they can and can not say or feel heck even think. Kids who need help, don't even bother because none of the teachers nor administrators will take the time to tutor, answer questions, help with resources, homework nothing other than tell you to meet teacher expectations. I am surprised a public institution like this is even allowed federal funding and has yet to be shut down by the CDE since it can not be meeting requirements for kids of any type with needs of any type let alone poor scores the rest of the way around. If kids did not spend the entire 120 minutes working on CMAS tests, they could not receive a reward (ie a candy bar etc) yet they were told that they did not demonstrate hard work and would not be rewarded. What a total crock of you know what. This entire school starting with the admin staff and the long term teachers here should all be fired and an extreme makeover done on this school it is nothing but a disgrace that my tax dollars go to support such a poor school. The bullying here is down played by all and even hinted that there is no bullying going on yet almost every review I have read talks about the horrible bullying going on here. Such a shame. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, January 11, 2016

Open Quote Horrible middle school. A majority of the students attending this school are living close by in low income apartments. This leads to alot of conflict. The teachers are way underpaid and could care less for your kids. They will not call or contact with issues, they just send automated messages through email. The Principle is an ex Gym teacher that has no clue how to work with kids, the Vice Principle is even worse than him. They run the school like a prison.The teachers do not stay here for long so do not expect anyone seasoned. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Horizon Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 321 34 19 24 0 n/a n/a 0 398
1989 333 40 22 27 0 n/a n/a 0 422
1990 301 48 30 28 5 n/a n/a 0 412
1991 319 41 41 24 4 n/a n/a 0 429
1992 324 34 34 34 1 n/a n/a 0 427
1993 330 41 42 44 2 n/a n/a 0 459
1994 267 49 38 30 9 n/a n/a 0 393
1995 370 62 50 47 9 n/a n/a 0 538
1996 370 62 50 47 9 n/a n/a 0 538
1997 435 72 42 62 6 n/a n/a 0 617
1998 471 79 41 58 7 n/a n/a 0 656
1999 533 77 38 82 10 n/a n/a 0 740
2000 525 101 56 79 14 n/a n/a 0 775
2001 332 82 41 52 8 n/a n/a 0 515
2002 380 84 39 77 13 n/a n/a 0 593
2003 380 84 39 77 13 n/a n/a 0 593
2004 459 73 34 86 11 n/a n/a 0 663
2005 470 74 42 112 13 n/a n/a 0 711
2006 454 94 42 115 14 n/a n/a 0 719
2007 420 91 32 134 14 n/a n/a 0 691
2008 412 106 35 132 11 n/a n/a 0 696
2009 395 97 31 128 11 n/a n/a 0 662
2010 399 97 34 134 8 n/a n/a 0 672
2011 367 80 20 153 6 1 25 0 652
2012 341 62 16 140 4 4 48 0 615
2013 340 59 17 147 6 7 47 0 623
2014 310 72 21 152 5 3 47 0 610
2015 326 69 23 152 3 4 49 0 626
2016 344 57 20 172 1 3 53 0 650
2017 344 63 21 205 2 4 70 0 709
2018 359 69 22 207 5 4 80 0 746
2019 365 60 23 205 7 1 84 0 745
2020 377 56 21 226 2 1 86 0 769
2021 327 63 19 252 1 1 85 0 748
2022 314 55 15 239 6 1 79 0 709
2023 329 67 16 247 4 2 96 0 761

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 Horizon Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 398 26.6 14.9 n/a
1989 422 24.9 16.9 8.8
1990 412 24.9 16.5 11.2
1991 429 26.9 15.9 9.3
1992 427 26.3 16.2 11
1993 459 26.5 17.3 12.9
1994 393 22.0 17.9 18.3
1995 538 22.1 24.3 12.5
1996 538 22.1 24.3 12.5
1997 617 34.1 18.1 10.7
1998 656 34.1 19.2 10.7
1999 740 41.9 17.7 12
2000 775 38.1 20.3 16.3
2001 515 28.0 18.4 13.8
2002 593 37.5 15.8 20.1
2003 593 37.5 15.8 20.1
2004 663 41.7 15.9 19.3
2005 711 39.4 18.0 23.1
2006 719 41.0 17.5 24.6
2007 691 39.8 17.4 30.4
2008 696 42.0 16.6 31.2
2009 662 46.0 14.4 32.2
2010 672 43.5 15.4 33.8
2011 652 37.9 17.1 35.1
2012 615 39.3 15.6 35
2013 623 36.8 16.9 41.7
2014 610 39.5 15.4 45.4
2015 626 42.0 14.9 50.5
2016 650 43.0 15.1 46.9
2017 709 48.0 14.7 49.1
2018 746 49.9 14.9 48.5
2019 745 49.0 15.2 46.8
2020 769 51.2 14.9 50.3
2021 748 49.1 15.2 43.7
2022 709 49.4 14.3 41.2
2023 761 45.6 16.6 53.5

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 Horizon Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 398 26.6 14.9 n/a
1989 422 24.9 16.9 8.8
1990 412 24.9 16.5 11.2
1991 429 26.9 15.9 9.3
1992 427 26.3 16.2 11
1993 459 26.5 17.3 12.9
1994 393 22.0 17.9 18.3
1995 538 22.1 24.3 12.5
1996 538 22.1 24.3 12.5
1997 617 34.1 18.1 10.7
1998 656 34.1 19.2 10.7
1999 740 41.9 17.7 12
2000 775 38.1 20.3 16.3
2001 515 28.0 18.4 13.8
2002 593 37.5 15.8 20.1
2003 593 37.5 15.8 20.1
2004 663 41.7 15.9 19.3
2005 711 39.4 18.0 23.1
2006 719 41.0 17.5 24.6
2007 691 39.8 17.4 30.4
2008 696 42.0 16.6 31.2
2009 662 46.0 14.4 32.2
2010 672 43.5 15.4 33.8
2011 652 37.9 17.1 35.1
2012 615 39.3 15.6 35
2013 623 36.8 16.9 41.7
2014 610 39.5 15.4 45.4
2015 626 42.0 14.9 50.5
2016 650 43.0 15.1 46.9
2017 709 48.0 14.7 49.1
2018 746 49.9 14.9 48.5
2019 745 49.0 15.2 46.8
2020 769 51.2 14.9 50.3
2021 748 49.1 15.2 43.7
2022 709 49.4 14.3 41.2
2023 761 45.6 16.6 53.5

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 Horizon Middle School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $11,779
2020 $11,579
2021 $11,892
2022 $13,496
2023 $14,300

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Horizon Middle 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 219th of 458 Middle schoolsRanks 242nd of 480 Middle schools
 2.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Horizon Middle School)43.939.6
 4.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (El Paso County Colorado School District 49)46.143.6
 2.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)43.643.4
 0.2%
6th Grade Math (Horizon Middle School)22.424.6
 2.2%
   6th Grade Math (El Paso County Colorado School District 49)2420.8
 3.2%
   6th Grade Math (Colorado)29.528.2
 1.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Horizon Middle School)4844.1
 3.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (El Paso County Colorado School District 49)47.243.9
 3.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.545
 1.5%
7th Grade Math (Horizon Middle School)29.719.8
 9.9%
   7th Grade Math (El Paso County Colorado School District 49)27.920.4
 7.5%
   7th Grade Math (Colorado)31.626.3
 5.3%
8th Grade Science (Horizon Middle School)30.231.9
 1.7%
   8th Grade Science (El Paso County Colorado School District 49)33.531.7
 1.8%
   8th Grade Science (Colorado)31.531.3
 0.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Horizon Middle School)52.742.1
 10.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (El Paso County Colorado School District 49)59.148.6
 10.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.942.4
 4.5%
8th Grade Math (Horizon Middle School)40.534.8
 5.7%
   8th Grade Math (El Paso County Colorado School District 49)38.128.1
 10%
   8th Grade Math (Colorado)36.932.7
 4.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Horizon Middle School)48.141.9
 6.2%
   All Grades English Language Arts (El Paso County Colorado School District 49)49.444.5
 4.9%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)45.843.7
 2.1%
All Grades Math (Horizon Middle School)30.625.5
 5.1%
   All Grades Math (El Paso County Colorado School District 49)33.329.5
 3.8%
   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 Students745761
 2.1%
African American6067
 11.7%
American Indian74
 42.9%
Asian2316
 30.4%
Hispanic205247
 20.5%
Pacific Islander12
 100%
White365329
 9.9%
Two or More Races8496
 14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients46.8%53.5%
 6.6%


Schools Near Horizon Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Horizon Middle School

Students at Horizon Middle School are 43% White, 32% Hispanic, 13% Two or more races, 9% African American, 2% Asian.

Horizon Middle School ranks 259th of 485 Colorado middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Horizon Middle School usually go on to attend Sand Creek High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 761 students attended Horizon Middle School.


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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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