James Irwin Charter High School

Q: Is James Irwin Charter High School a good school?

James Irwin Charter High School ranks 62 nd of 349 Colorado high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

James Irwin Charter High School is a public charter high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado that serves 403 students in grades 9-12 and is part of the Harrison School District No. 2.

James Irwin Charter High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in Colorado, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school has a diverse student population, with a higher percentage of Hispanic students compared to the district and state averages. Students at James Irwin Charter High School outperform their peers on standardized tests, with 78% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in SAT Reading and Writing, compared to 51% in the district and 58% statewide. The school's performance is particularly strong for Hispanic and low-socioeconomic status students, ranking 14th and 13th out of all Colorado high schools, respectively, in these subgroups.

Compared to nearby public high schools like Harrison High School and Sierra High School, which are part of the same district, James Irwin Charter High School significantly outperforms them in terms of test scores, rankings, and the percentage of students from low-income backgrounds. This suggests that the charter school model may be a successful approach in this district, as evidenced by the strong performance of another local charter school, The Vanguard School.

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

5525 Astrozon Blvd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80916-4226

(719) 576-8055

District: Harrison School District No. 2

SchoolDigger Rank:
62^nd of 349 Colorado High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,123

Student/teacher ratio: 16.6

Number of students: 403

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

49.4%

White:

28.0%

Two or more races:

10.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 31.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details James Irwin Charter High School ranks better than 82.2% of high schools in Colorado. It also ranks 2^nd among 5 ranked high schools in the Harrison School District No. 2. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 80.01. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at James Irwin Charter High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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

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 James Irwin Charter High School has the largest high school student body size in the Harrison School District No. 2. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at James Irwin Charter High School is $16,123, which is the highest among 6 high schools in the Harrison School District No. 2!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

James Irwin Charter High School:

SchoolDigger ranks James Irwin Charter High School 62^nd of 349 Colorado public high schools. (See James Irwin Charter High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Harrison School District No. 2:

SchoolDigger ranks Harrison School District No. 2 72^nd of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for James Irwin Charter High School.

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Rank History for James Irwin Charter High School

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Rank History for all students at James Irwin Charter High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2004	87.21	28^th	279	90.0%
2005	85.43	33^rd	280	88.2%
2006	92.01	12^th	286	95.8%
2007	90.93	12^th	298	96.0%
2008	90.32	18^th	301	94.0%
2009	87.97	28^th	310	91.0%
2010	88.38	29^th	327	91.1%
2011	81.54	47^th	337	86.1%
2012	85.23	35^th	334	89.5%
2013	83.23	49^th	349	86.0%
2014	86.78	33^rd	369	91.1%
2015	68.81	51^st	292	82.5%
2018	75.93	74^th	388	80.9%
2019	77.42	74^th	411	82.0%
2021	72.10	53^rd	210	74.8%
2022	79.25	39^th	221	82.4%
2023	82.73	54^th	349	84.5%
2024	80.01	62^nd	349	82.2%

See the entire list of Colorado High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at James Irwin Charter High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	88.99	4^th	62	93.5%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James Irwin Charter High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	95.08	6^th	188	96.8%
2022	97.51	4^th	203	98.0%
2023	95.89	7^th	200	96.5%
2024	88.89	13^th	211	93.8%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at James Irwin Charter High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	79.79	45^th	239	81.2%
2022	82.66	43^rd	257	83.3%
2023	80.78	42^nd	254	83.5%
2024	71.68	70^th	257	72.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at James Irwin Charter High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	75.17	62^nd	240	74.2%
2022	80.67	46^th	253	81.8%
2023	81.05	47^th	252	81.3%
2024	84.67	33^rd	256	87.1%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at James Irwin Charter High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	92.02	10^th	181	94.5%
2022	94.47	11^th	205	94.6%
2023	93.69	14^th	198	92.9%
2024	90.38	14^th	199	93.0%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at James Irwin Charter High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	76.52	47^th	225	79.1%
2022	79.13	43^rd	228	81.1%
2023	83.45	31^st	234	86.8%
2024	76.91	45^th	229	80.3%

See the entire list of Best Colorado High 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: 4.7)

67%

33%

Reviews:

by a parent
Sunday, April 21, 2013

This school is truelly an example of excellence. It prepares students for a life to come. It is the Oasis in the middle of the desert compared to all other schools around. Nothing else comes close. Close Quote

Enrollment information for James Irwin Charter High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2001	102	2	4	13	1	n/a	n/a	122
2002	173	11	6	31	13	n/a	n/a	234
2003	173	11	6	31	13	n/a	n/a	234
2004	224	24	8	38	5	n/a	n/a	299
2005	219	26	17	36	8	n/a	n/a	306
2006	236	28	22	42	6	n/a	n/a	334
2007	241	32	27	57	1	n/a	n/a	358
2008	220	33	30	65	4	n/a	n/a	352
2009	208	37	28	62	6	n/a	n/a	341
2010	219	47	31	71	10	n/a	n/a	378
2011	214	50	25	88	10	0	1	388
2012	227	58	27	102	7	0	1	422
2013	213	55	36	130	9	0	2	445
2014	186	51	32	128	4	2	7	410
2015	173	46	27	145	4	1	17	413
2016	169	39	25	165	4	2	18	422
2017	167	40	22	176	2	2	20	429
2018	154	41	25	174	4	6	22	426
2019	136	40	29	176	5	5	13	404
2020	144	37	12	194	2	7	45	441
2021	142	34	15	204	3	6	35	439
2022	131	27	17	201	3	4	33	416
2023	113	28	12	199	2	6	43	403

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 James Irwin Charter High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	122	3.5	34.9	20.5
2002	234	20.7	11.3	3
2003	234	20.7	11.3	3
2004	299	24.9	12.0	25.1
2005	306	20.6	14.9	18.6
2006	334	29.8	11.2	19.2
2007	358	22.6	15.8	18.4
2008	352	24.6	14.3	11.1
2009	341	24.6	13.9	14.1
2010	378	23.4	16.1	20.4
2011	388	24.2	15.9	29.6
2012	422	24.3	17.3	33.2
2013	445	25.6	17.3	33.3
2014	410	24.6	16.6	32
2015	413	22.0	18.7	31.7
2016	422	26.0	16.2	35.5
2017	429	26.9	15.8	33.8
2018	426	26.9	15.7	34.3
2019	404	26.9	14.9	34.7
2020	441	25.2	17.4	37.4
2021	439	27.2	16.0	28
2022	416	26.2	15.8	32.9
2023	403	24.2	16.6	31.8

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 James Irwin Charter High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	122	3.5	34.9	20.5
2002	234	20.7	11.3	3
2003	234	20.7	11.3	3
2004	299	24.9	12.0	25.1
2005	306	20.6	14.9	18.6
2006	334	29.8	11.2	19.2
2007	358	22.6	15.8	18.4
2008	352	24.6	14.3	11.1
2009	341	24.6	13.9	14.1
2010	378	23.4	16.1	20.4
2011	388	24.2	15.9	29.6
2012	422	24.3	17.3	33.2
2013	445	25.6	17.3	33.3
2014	410	24.6	16.6	32
2015	413	22.0	18.7	31.7
2016	422	26.0	16.2	35.5
2017	429	26.9	15.8	33.8
2018	426	26.9	15.7	34.3
2019	404	26.9	14.9	34.7
2020	441	25.2	17.4	37.4
2021	439	27.2	16.0	28
2022	416	26.2	15.8	32.9
2023	403	24.2	16.6	31.8

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 James Irwin Charter High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,701
2020	$7,291
2021	$7,569
2022	$8,421
2023	$16,123

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James Irwin Charter High 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 74^th of 411 High schools	Ranks 54^th of 349 High schools	2.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	404	403	0.2%
African American	40	28	30%
American Indian	5	2	60%
Asian	29	12	58.6%
Hispanic	176	199	13.1%
Pacific Islander	5	6	20%
White	136	113	16.9%
Two or More Races	13	43	230.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	34.7%	31.8%	2.9%

Schools Near James Irwin Charter High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSAT10 Reading and Writing (2024)	PSAT10 Mathematics (2024)	PSAT9 Reading and Writing (2024)	PSAT9 Mathematics (2024)	SAT Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (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	PSAT10 Reading and Writing 10th Grade	PSAT10 Mathematics 10th Grade	PSAT9 Reading and Writing 9th Grade	PSAT9 Mathematics 9th Grade	SAT Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	CMAS Science 11th Grade	Total
James Irwin Charter High School	Public, Charter	9-12	5525 Astrozon Blvd.	Colorado Springs	80916	El Paso County	Harrison School District No. 2	Yes	No	No	No	(719) 576-8055	403	24	16.6	31.8%	113 (28.0%)	28 (6.9%)	199 (49.4%)	12 (3.0%)	2 (0.5%)	6 (1.5%)	43 (10.7%)	80	62^nd of 349 public high schools	82.2%		82.7	54^th of 349 public high schools	84.5%	8	85.0	50.0	82.0	58.0	78.0	43.0	34.9	$16,123
Sierra High School	Public	9-12	2250 Jet Wing Drive	Colorado Springs	80916	El Paso County	Harrison School District No. 2	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 579-2090	908	58	15.7	53.9%	141 (15.5%)	179 (19.7%)	497 (54.7%)	22 (2.4%)	8 (0.9%)	4 (0.4%)	57 (6.3%)	18.4	288^th of 349 public high schools	17.5%		9.9	315^th of 349 public high schools	9.7%	27	40.0		45.0		37.0	11.0	20.8	$15,485
Atlas Preparatory High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1628 South Murray Blvd	Colorado Springs	80916	El Paso County	Harrison School District No. 2	Yes	No	No	Yes	(719) 358-7196	479	26	18.3	90.8%	21 (4.4%)	25 (5.2%)	412 (86.0%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.3%)	36	213^th of 349 public high schools	39.0%		50.6	157^th of 349 public high schools	55.0%	56		24.0	51.0	31.0	45.0	34.0		$3,627
Spring Creek Youth Services Center	Public	5-12	3190 East Las Vegas	Colorado Springs	80906	El Paso County	Division of Youth Services	No	No	No	No	(719) 329-6924																			(n/a)								$00
Discovery High School	Public	9-12	701 Widefield Drive	Colorado Springs	80911	El Paso County	School District No. 3	No	No	No	No	(719) 391-3121	63	6	10.5	55.6%	34 (54.0%)	4 (6.3%)	15 (23.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (15.9%)								(n/a)								$18,776
Widefield High School	Public	9-12	615 Widefield Drive	Colorado Springs	80911	El Paso County	School District No. 3	No	No	No	No	(719) 391-3200	1,241	68	18.3	28.5%	549 (44.2%)	102 (8.2%)	388 (31.3%)	22 (1.8%)	7 (0.6%)	18 (1.5%)	155 (12.5%)	35.6	220^th of 349 public high schools	37.0%		32.8	223^rd of 349 public high schools	36.1%	3	58.0		61.0	25.0	48.0		21.3	$13,597
Harrison High School	Public	9-12	2755 Janitell Road	Colorado Springs	80906	El Paso County	Harrison School District No. 2	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 579-2080	1,179	60	19.6	49.9%	210 (17.8%)	193 (16.4%)	652 (55.3%)	26 (2.2%)	11 (0.9%)	8 (0.7%)	79 (6.7%)	18.9	287^th of 349 public high schools	17.8%		17.2	289^th of 349 public high schools	17.2%	2	48.0	11.0	52.0	18.0	39.0		11.8	$13,862
Career Readiness Academy	Public	9-12	2883 South Circle Drive	Colorado Springs	80906	El Paso County	Harrison School District No. 2	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 579-2580	63	2	31.5	66.7%	10 (15.9%)	15 (23.8%)	29 (46.0%)	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.2%)	6 (9.5%)								(n/a)								$14,410
Mitchell High School	Public	9-12	1205 Potter Drive	Colorado Springs	80909	El Paso County	Colorado Springs School District No. 11	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 328-6600	886	54	16.2	71.9%	235 (26.5%)	81 (9.1%)	494 (55.8%)	9 (1.0%)	4 (0.5%)	2 (0.2%)	61 (6.9%)	7.6	325^th of 349 public high schools	6.9%		7.7	321^st of 349 public high schools	8.0%	4	32.0	7.0	33.0	9.0	24.0	5.0	9.8	$17,588
Eastlake High School of Colorado Springs	Public, Charter	9-12	2520 Airport Road	Colorado Springs	80910	El Paso County	Colorado Springs School District No. 11	Yes	No	No	No	(719) 271-0145	101	8	12.7	73.3%	45 (44.6%)	14 (13.9%)	36 (35.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.0%)	4 (4.0%)								(n/a)								$15,689

Frequently Asked Questions about James Irwin Charter High School

Is James Irwin Charter High School a good school?

James Irwin Charter High School ranks 62^nd of 349 Colorado high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend James Irwin Charter High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 403 students attended James Irwin Charter High School.

What district is James Irwin Charter High School in?

Harrison School District No. 2

What is the racial makeup of James Irwin Charter High School?

Students at James Irwin Charter High School are 49% Hispanic, 28% White, 11% Two or more races, 7% 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.