Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Summary:

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School is an alternative public school in Fort Collins, Colorado, serving 386 students in grades K-12. As part of the highly-ranked Poudre School District R-1, Polaris stands out for its strong academic performance in science and English language arts, though it lags behind the district in math proficiency.

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School excels in science, with 11th-grade students scoring 60% proficient compared to 46.5% in the district and 24.8% statewide. The school also outperforms the district and state in 8th-grade science. In English language arts, Polaris matches the district average of 59.4% proficient across all grades, and its 5th-grade students achieve 77.8% proficiency, well above the 47.3% state average. However, the school underperforms the district in 3rd and 4th-grade ELA. Mathematically, Polaris lags behind, with an overall proficiency rate of 40.6% compared to 50.1% in the district and 34.2% statewide.

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School stands out for its low percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, ranging from 13.46% to 16.71% over the past three years. The school also has a favorable student-teacher ratio, between 14.1 and 14.7, lower than the district and state averages. However, Polaris lacks racial diversity, with 85.49% of its students identifying as White, significantly higher than nearby Liberty Common Charter School and Ridgeview Classical Schools, which outperform Polaris in several academic areas.


Detail:

Public, Alternative K-12

 1905 Orchard Place
       Fort Collins, CO  80521-3210


(970) 488-8260

District: Poudre School District R-1

SchoolDigger Rank:
348th of 943 Colorado Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,669 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  14.2 Help
Number of students:  390

Racial breakdown:

White:
85.1%
Hispanic:
7.4%
Two or more races:
5.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  24.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Polaris Expeditionary Learning School ranks better than 63.1% of elementary schools in Colorado. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.45. (See more...)
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Compare Details Polaris Expeditionary Learning School ranks better than 79% of middle schools in Colorado. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.25. (See more...)
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Compare Details Polaris Expeditionary Learning School ranks better than 77.4% of high schools in Colorado. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.8. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (85.1%), Hispanic (7.4%), two or more races (5.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 24.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School is 14.2, which is the 2nd best among 4 alternative schools in the Poudre School District R-1. (See more...)
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Compare Polaris Expeditionary Learning School employs 27.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School is $16,669. 3 alternative schools in the Poudre School District R-1 spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School:

SchoolDigger ranks Polaris Expeditionary Learning School 348th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Polaris Expeditionary Learning School in the ranking list.)
SchoolDigger ranks Polaris Expeditionary Learning School 102nd of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Polaris Expeditionary Learning School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Polaris Expeditionary Learning School 79th of 349 Colorado public high schools. (See Polaris Expeditionary Learning School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


White students:


Poudre School District R-1:

SchoolDigger ranks Poudre School District R-1 11th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 43.46 564th 925 39.0%
2011 34.33 661st 935 29.3%
2012 65.41 346th 935 63.0%
2013 51.57 498th 954 47.8%
2014 63.74 344th 962 64.2%
2016 68.91 256th 914 72.0%
2017 66.19 276th 929 70.3%
2018 61.99 312th 917 66.0%
2019 65.00 316th 965 67.3%
2022 77.19 191st 921 79.3%
2023 63.80 310th 933 66.8%
2024 61.45 348th 943 63.1%
See the entire list of Colorado Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.05 176th 337 47.8%
2019 55.99 240th 596 59.7%
2022 52.83 218th 454 52.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 49.41 220th 409 46.2%
2011 53.03 217th 422 48.6%
2012 67.04 140th 425 67.1%
2013 64.56 156th 454 65.6%
2014 75.01 99th 461 78.5%
2015 73.08 78th 436 82.1%
2016 65.72 108th 400 73.0%
2017 67.39 107th 424 74.8%
2018 67.30 112th 418 73.2%
2019 69.70 114th 458 75.1%
2021 82.23 50th 369 86.4%
2022 84.23 51st 448 88.6%
2023 75.27 98th 480 79.6%
2024 74.25 102nd 485 79.0%
See the entire list of Colorado Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 60.80 122nd 363 66.4%
2024 60.63 121st 350 65.4%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 60.20 117th 356 67.1%
2024 79.37 57th 357 84.0%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 68.49 67th 265 74.7%
2023 77.35 51st 286 82.2%
2024 63.77 83rd 273 69.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

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Rank History for all high school students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 44.48 205th 327 37.3%
2011 44.81 202nd 337 40.1%
2012 49.63 183rd 334 45.2%
2013 57.17 159th 349 54.4%
2014 68.69 103rd 369 72.1%
2015 46.30 117th 292 59.9%
2016 76.40 20th 255 92.2%
2017 65.50 44th 256 82.8%
2018 82.11 55th 388 85.8%
2019 70.93 96th 411 76.6%
2021 55.52 88th 210 58.1%
2022 73.83 54th 221 75.6%
2023 66.16 108th 349 69.1%
2024 74.80 79th 349 77.4%
See the entire list of Colorado Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Female students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 87.74 26th 257 89.9%
2023 66.38 80th 254 68.5%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 60.71 94th 253 62.8%
2023 73.28 75th 252 70.2%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 40.39 128th 225 43.1%
2022 50.32 108th 228 52.6%
2023 67.90 76th 234 67.5%
2024 86.78 20th 229 91.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative 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.

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 












Data source: Colorado Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2008 168 1 1 18 3 n/a n/a 0 191
2009 159 0 1 21 4 n/a n/a 0 185
2010 177 0 3 25 3 n/a n/a 0 208
2011 202 2 3 21 0 0 4 0 232
2012 230 2 2 19 1 0 8 0 262
2013 241 0 3 18 1 0 15 0 278
2014 247 1 4 18 2 0 12 0 284
2015 251 1 7 22 2 0 12 0 295
2016 336 0 9 24 2 0 15 0 386
2017 348 2 8 21 5 0 18 0 402
2018 356 4 6 24 5 0 16 0 411
2019 356 4 5 21 2 0 15 0 403
2020 350 7 4 21 4 0 14 0 400
2021 321 7 2 17 4 0 13 0 364
2022 332 6 3 24 4 2 18 0 389
2023 330 2 2 30 3 2 17 0 386
2024 332 2 1 29 4 1 21 0 390

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 Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2008 191 13.0 14.7 22
2009 185 13.0 14.2 23.8
2010 208 14.0 14.8 29.3
2011 232 13.9 16.5 26.3
2012 262 15.0 17.4 29.8
2013 278 17.5 15.8 28.8
2014 284 17.3 16.3 32
2015 295 17.0 17.3 35.6
2016 386 25.0 15.4 36
2017 402 25.6 15.6 28.1
2018 411 25.3 16.2 28.2
2019 403 25.1 16.0 26.8
2020 400 25.8 15.4 21.3
2021 364 25.7 14.1 13.5
2022 389 26.3 14.7 16.7
2023 386 26.3 14.6 15
2024 390 27.3 14.2 24.9

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 Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2008 191 13.0 14.7 22
2009 185 13.0 14.2 23.8
2010 208 14.0 14.8 29.3
2011 232 13.9 16.5 26.3
2012 262 15.0 17.4 29.8
2013 278 17.5 15.8 28.8
2014 284 17.3 16.3 32
2015 295 17.0 17.3 35.6
2016 386 25.0 15.4 36
2017 402 25.6 15.6 28.1
2018 411 25.3 16.2 28.2
2019 403 25.1 16.0 26.8
2020 400 25.8 15.4 21.3
2021 364 25.7 14.1 13.5
2022 389 26.3 14.7 16.7
2023 386 26.3 14.6 15
2024 390 27.3 14.2 24.9

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 Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $12,469
2020 $12,867
2021 $14,145
2022 $15,219
2023 $16,669

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Polaris Expeditionary Learning 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 316th of 965 Elementary schoolsRanks 310th of 933 Elementary schools
 0.5%
Ranks 114th of 458 Middle schoolsRanks 98th of 480 Middle schools
 4.5%
Ranks 96th of 411 High schoolsRanks 108th of 349 High schools
 7.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)68.452.9
 15.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)55.256
 0.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)41.339.9
 1.4%
3rd Grade Math (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)68.441.2
 27.2%
   3rd Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)55.254.3
 0.9%
   3rd Grade Math (Colorado)4140.4
 0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)47.168.8
 21.7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)66.659.1
 7.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)4843.8
 4.2%
4th Grade Math (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)41.262.5
 21.3%
   4th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)53.749.4
 4.3%
   4th Grade Math (Colorado)33.632.7
 0.9%
5th Grade Science (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)16.768.8
 52.1%
   5th Grade Science (Poudre School District R-1)51.749.5
 2.2%
   5th Grade Science (Colorado)35.933.9
 2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)55.668.8
 13.2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)66.464.3
 2.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)48.447.8
 0.6%
5th Grade Math (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)5056.3
 6.3%
   5th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)54.552.6
 1.9%
   5th Grade Math (Colorado)35.736.5
 0.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)61.150
 11.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)57.756.6
 1.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)43.643.4
 0.2%
6th Grade Math (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)30.614.3
 16.3%
   6th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)46.944.6
 2.3%
   6th Grade Math (Colorado)29.528.2
 1.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)54.880
 25.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)5757.3
 0.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.545
 1.5%
7th Grade Math (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)42.947.5
 4.6%
   7th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)46.541.7
 4.8%
   7th Grade Math (Colorado)31.626.3
 5.3%
8th Grade Science (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)47.571.9
 24.4%
   8th Grade Science (Poudre School District R-1)45.246.6
 1.4%
   8th Grade Science (Colorado)31.531.3
 0.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)6072.2
 12.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)59.958.3
 1.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)46.942.4
 4.5%
8th Grade Math (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)4554.3
 9.3%
   8th Grade Math (Poudre School District R-1)55.553.5
 2%
   8th Grade Math (Colorado)36.932.7
 4.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)58.165.9
 7.8%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Poudre School District R-1)60.658.7
 1.9%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)45.843.7
 2.1%
All Grades Math (Polaris Expeditionary Learning School)44.242.2
 2%
   All Grades Math (Poudre School District R-1)5249.5
 2.5%
   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 Students403386
 4.2%
African American42
 50%
American Indian23
 50%
Asian52
 60%
Hispanic2130
 42.9%
Pacific Islander02
White356330
 7.3%
Two or More Races1517
 13.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients26.8%15%
 11.8%


Schools Near Polaris Expeditionary Learning School









Frequently Asked Questions about Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School ranks 348th of 943 Colorado alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 390 students attended Polaris Expeditionary Learning School.

Students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School are 85% White, 7% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.


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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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