Is Mesa Ridge High School a good school?

Mesa Ridge High School ranks 227 th of 349 Colorado high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Mesa Ridge High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,269 students attended Mesa Ridge High School.

What is the racial makeup of Mesa Ridge High School?

Students at Mesa Ridge High School are 44% White, 31% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races, 10% African American, 2% Asian, 2% Pacific Islander.

What schools feed into Mesa Ridge High School?

Mesa Ridge High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Sunrise Elementary School Elementary : Talbott STEAM Innovation School Elementary : Webster Elementary School Middle : Janitell Junior High School

Mesa Ridge High School

Summary:

Mesa Ridge High School is a public high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, serving 1,269 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of School District No. 3, which is ranked 59 out of 116 districts in Colorado and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Mesa Ridge High School has a relatively diverse student population, with 43.81% White, 30.89% Hispanic, and 9.69% African American students. However, the school has struggled academically in recent years, ranking between 160-227 out of 349 Colorado high schools over the past 5 years. Its performance on standardized tests is generally below the state and district averages. The school's percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch has decreased from 39.56% in 2020-2021 to 25.93% in 2022-2023, indicating a lower socioeconomic status compared to nearby schools like Harrison High School (49.87%) and Career Readiness Academy (66.67%). Additionally, Mesa Ridge High School has a relatively high student-teacher ratio of 19.5, higher than the nearby Widefield High School (18.3) and Harrison High School (19.6).

While Mesa Ridge High School's overall academic performance is below average, its African American and Hispanic student subgroups perform relatively better, ranking 11th and 92nd out of Colorado high schools, respectively, in the 2023-2024 school year. This suggests the school may be doing a better job of supporting these underrepresented student populations. However, the school's statewide ranking has steadily declined from 160th in 2020-2021 to 227th in 2023-2024, indicating a concerning trend in academic performance. Additionally, the school's Gifted and Talented student subgroup ranks 79th out of 140 Colorado high schools, suggesting room for improvement in supporting high-achieving students.

Detail:

Public 9-12

6070 Mesa Ridge Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80911-2568

(719) 391-3600

District: School District No. 3

SchoolDigger Rank:
227^th of 349 Colorado High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,406

Feeder schools for Mesa Ridge High School:

Elementary:	Sunrise Elementary School
	Talbott STEAM Innovation School
	Webster Elementary School
Middle:	Janitell Junior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.5

Number of students: 1,269

Racial breakdown:

White:

43.8%

Hispanic:

30.9%

Two or more races:

10.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 25.9%

See top rated Colorado high schools

Compare Mesa Ridge High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Mesa Ridge High School ranks worse than 65% of high schools in Colorado. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 33.19. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Mesa Ridge 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 Mesa Ridge High School has the largest high school student body size in the School District No. 3. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mesa Ridge High School is $13,406, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the School District No. 3!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mesa Ridge High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mesa Ridge High School 227^th of 349 Colorado public high schools. (See Mesa Ridge High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

School District No. 3:

SchoolDigger ranks School District No. 3 59^th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Mesa Ridge High School.

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Rank History for Mesa Ridge High School

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Rank History for all students at Mesa Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2004	36.09	189^th	279	32.3%
2005	54.02	137^th	280	51.1%
2006	55.30	137^th	286	52.1%
2007	55.51	149^th	298	50.0%
2008	59.79	136^th	301	54.8%
2009	54.41	151^st	310	51.3%
2010	48.40	187^th	327	42.8%
2011	47.94	191^st	337	43.3%
2012	46.50	192^nd	334	42.5%
2013	37.02	238^th	349	31.8%
2014	47.77	202^nd	369	45.3%
2015	26.37	210^th	292	28.1%
2016	12.10	233^rd	255	8.6%
2017	23.85	183^rd	256	28.5%
2018	44.53	202^nd	388	47.9%
2019	41.46	222^nd	411	46.0%
2021	22.30	160^th	210	23.8%
2022	17.95	175^th	221	20.8%
2023	32.89	221^st	349	36.7%
2024	33.19	227^th	349	35.0%

See the entire list of Colorado High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Mesa Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	12.79	44^th	48	8.3%
2022	22.97	46^th	56	17.9%
2023	14.39	52^nd	62	16.1%
2024	21.40	47^th	61	23.0%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mesa Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	48.71	90^th	188	52.1%
2022	50.44	97^th	203	52.2%
2023	55.98	78^th	200	61.0%
2024	59.05	74^th	211	64.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at Mesa Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	39.49	139^th	239	41.8%
2022	42.58	142^nd	257	44.7%
2023	37.53	156^th	254	38.6%
2024	34.21	162^nd	257	37.0%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Mesa Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	38.87	88^th	118	25.4%
2022	32.22	88^th	108	18.5%
2023	45.02	87^th	135	35.6%
2024	53.44	79^th	140	43.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Mesa Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	31.84	158^th	240	34.2%
2022	28.36	171^st	253	32.4%
2023	27.59	179^th	252	29.0%
2024	35.94	151^st	256	41.0%

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

Rank History for African American students at Mesa Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	40.66	18^th	29	37.9%
2022	53.37	14^th	34	58.8%
2023	50.03	15^th	36	58.3%
2024	63.30	11^th	38	71.1%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mesa Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	52.68	68^th	181	62.4%
2022	45.97	91^st	205	55.6%
2023	48.60	88^th	198	55.6%
2024	47.78	92^nd	199	53.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Mesa Ridge High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CO State Percentile
2021	19.53	178^th	225	20.9%
2022	16.46	198^th	228	13.2%
2023	16.02	206^th	234	12.0%
2024	28.42	165^th	229	27.9%

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: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Sunday, August 12, 2012

If you need free food, this is the school. If you love to be in a marching band this is the school. If you love to play Baseball this is the school. Like to walk with your dog, this is the school, plenty of dog dudu to walk in. Hate math, this is the school! Need early morning start 6.00am, this is the school. They’ll take you in. no worries, the teachers are your friend. But if you are in school to learn and get somewhere….well, better take a second look! Close Quote

by a parent on FaceBook
Sunday, November 8, 2009

This High School is AWESOME. The teachers really connect with the students and it reflects a very safe environment so that the student can focus on their learning ability and grow with self confidence and acheivement goals. We moved our child from another district and it has been a 100% improvement in her life and ours. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Mesa Ridge High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1998	624	186	41	134	17	n/a	n/a	1002
1999	786	209	51	161	19	n/a	n/a	1226
2000	792	210	53	148	25	n/a	n/a	1228
2001	867	221	60	151	19	n/a	n/a	1318
2002	797	202	51	137	14	n/a	n/a	1201
2003	797	202	51	137	14	n/a	n/a	1201
2004	810	200	42	142	16	n/a	n/a	1210
2005	785	202	41	147	16	n/a	n/a	1191
2006	768	206	40	153	18	n/a	n/a	1185
2007	761	207	44	179	20	n/a	n/a	1211
2008	745	223	45	199	18	n/a	n/a	1230
2009	753	219	53	207	23	n/a	n/a	1255
2010	756	216	60	209	16	n/a	n/a	1257
2011	757	187	15	246	16	16	56	1293
2012	733	161	9	273	20	14	71	1281
2013	715	168	9	290	22	19	85	1308
2014	692	183	16	321	18	22	78	1330
2015	665	167	17	334	13	23	105	1324
2016	654	170	22	347	14	17	106	1330
2017	618	175	18	358	13	14	104	1300
2018	629	149	20	362	11	14	105	1290
2019	589	152	23	394	10	16	103	1287
2020	619	141	23	396	9	16	121	1325
2021	603	127	25	392	12	22	131	1312
2022	546	110	26	380	10	27	135	1234
2023	556	123	28	392	10	23	137	1269

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 Mesa Ridge High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1998	1002	56.0	17.9	0
1999	1226	68.1	18.0	0
2000	1228	68.8	17.8	0
2001	1318	67.5	19.5	0
2002	1201	68.3	17.6	0
2003	1201	68.3	17.6	0
2004	1210	64.3	18.8	1.1
2005	1191	65.6	18.2	0.8
2006	1185	66.7	17.8	7.1
2007	1211	67.8	17.9	0.2
2008	1230	69.6	17.7	0.4
2009	1255	70.6	17.8	0.5
2010	1257	69.0	18.2	34
2011	1293	67.9	19.0	36
2012	1281	66.7	19.1	37.5
2013	1308	66.4	19.6	35.2
2014	1330	66.6	19.9	30
2015	1324	67.0	19.7	38.1
2016	1330	68.0	19.5	44.1
2017	1300	65.1	19.9	37.1
2018	1290	68.2	18.9	35.2
2019	1287	70.5	18.2	35.5
2020	1325	69.6	19.0	35.5
2021	1312	71.7	18.2	39.6
2022	1234	66.7	18.4	34.2
2023	1269	64.8	19.5	25.9

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 Mesa Ridge High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1998	1002	56.0	17.9	0
1999	1226	68.1	18.0	0
2000	1228	68.8	17.8	0
2001	1318	67.5	19.5	0
2002	1201	68.3	17.6	0
2003	1201	68.3	17.6	0
2004	1210	64.3	18.8	1.1
2005	1191	65.6	18.2	0.8
2006	1185	66.7	17.8	7.1
2007	1211	67.8	17.9	0.2
2008	1230	69.6	17.7	0.4
2009	1255	70.6	17.8	0.5
2010	1257	69.0	18.2	34
2011	1293	67.9	19.0	36
2012	1281	66.7	19.1	37.5
2013	1308	66.4	19.6	35.2
2014	1330	66.6	19.9	30
2015	1324	67.0	19.7	38.1
2016	1330	68.0	19.5	44.1
2017	1300	65.1	19.9	37.1
2018	1290	68.2	18.9	35.2
2019	1287	70.5	18.2	35.5
2020	1325	69.6	19.0	35.5
2021	1312	71.7	18.2	39.6
2022	1234	66.7	18.4	34.2
2023	1269	64.8	19.5	25.9

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 Mesa Ridge High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$10,195
2020	$10,420
2021	$11,033
2022	$12,072
2023	$13,406

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mesa Ridge 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 222^nd of 411 High schools	Ranks 221^st of 349 High schools	9.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1287	1269	1.4%
African American	152	123	19.1%
American Indian	10	10
Asian	23	28	21.7%
Hispanic	394	392	0.5%
Pacific Islander	16	23	43.8%
White	589	556	5.6%
Two or More Races	103	137	33%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	35.5%	25.9%	9.6%

Schools Near Mesa Ridge 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
Mesa Ridge High School	Public	9-12	6070 Mesa Ridge Parkway	Colorado Springs	80911	El Paso County	School District No. 3	No	No	No	No	(719) 391-3600	1,269	65	19.5	25.9%	556 (43.8%)	123 (9.7%)	392 (30.9%)	28 (2.2%)	10 (0.8%)	23 (1.8%)	137 (10.8%)	33.2	227^th of 349 public high schools	35.0%		32.9	221^st of 349 public high schools	36.7%	6	62.0	20.0	65.0	21.0	55.0	12.0	17.4	$13,406
Welte Education Center	Public	9-12	330 Lyckman Dr	Fountain	80817	El Paso County	Fountain School District No. 8	No	No	No	No	(719) 382-1550	106	14	7.6	60.4%	52 (49.1%)	12 (11.3%)	33 (31.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	1 (0.9%)	7 (6.6%)	19.3	283^rd of 349 public high schools	18.9%		5.7	334^th of 349 public high schools	4.3%	51	53.0				26.0			$25,939
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
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
Fountain-Fort Carson High School	Public	9-12	900 Jimmy Camp Road	Fountain	80817	El Paso County	Fountain School District No. 8	No	No	No	No	(719) 382-1640	2,040	119	17.1	36.4%	906 (44.4%)	208 (10.2%)	607 (29.8%)	32 (1.6%)	19 (0.9%)	41 (2.0%)	227 (11.1%)	38	204^th of 349 public high schools	41.5%		44.5	180^th of 349 public high schools	48.4%	24	53.0				53.0			$14,492
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
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
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
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

Mesa Ridge High School

Mesa Ridge High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

School District No. 3:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Mesa Ridge High School

Rank History for all students at Mesa Ridge High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Mesa Ridge High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mesa Ridge High School

Rank History for Female students at Mesa Ridge High School

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Mesa Ridge High School

Rank History for Male students at Mesa Ridge High School

Rank History for African American students at Mesa Ridge High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mesa Ridge High School

Rank History for White students at Mesa Ridge High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Mesa Ridge High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Mesa Ridge High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Mesa Ridge High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Mesa Ridge High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Mesa Ridge High School

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near Mesa Ridge High School

Frequently Asked Questions about Mesa Ridge High School

Rate Mesa Ridge High School!

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