Buena Vista Elementary School

Buena Vista Elementary School in Colorado Springs, CO, is a small PK–5 school serving 194 students in the Colorado Springs School District No. 11, and it has quietly become one of the district's standout performers. With a student-teacher ratio of just 11:1, this school offers an intimate learning environment that is producing impressive results. In the 2024–25 state ranking, Buena Vista placed 260th out of 950 Colorado elementary schools (73rd percentile, 4 stars)—a dramatic climb from its 36th-percentile rank in 2016–17. The school outpaces both its district and the state in English Language Arts and Math on the CMAS, with especially strong showings in 5th-grade Science and 4th-grade ELA.

What truly separates Buena Vista from its neighbors is its remarkable math growth. In 2023–24, only 31.8% of students were proficient in math; by 2024–25, that rate jumped to 48.3% and held steady the following year—a nearly 17-point gain while district and state scores rose only modestly. Science is another clear strength: 58.3% of 5th graders were proficient, versus 31.4% for the district and 39% statewide. Chronic absenteeism sits at 28.2%, close to the state average but far better than the district's 45.8%. Nearby schools like Columbia Elementary School, Taylor Elementary School, West Elementary School, and Midland Elementary School all serve higher-poverty populations and post much lower proficiency rates, while Buena Vista performs more like schools in top-ranked districts such as Gold Camp Elementary School in the Cheyenne Mountain School District No. 12. Its closest competitor, Bristol Elementary School, matches its overall ranking but serves a higher proportion of low-income families.

Buena Vista's success has come even as its free/reduced lunch rate rose from 25.5% to 35.1% over three years—academic performance held steady or improved despite growing economic need. The school's one caveat is an internal achievement gap: while overall scores are strong, its White student subgroup ranks notably lower (38th percentile) relative to statewide peers. Still, for families weighing options in central Colorado Springs, Buena Vista offers a compelling mix of small classes, strong attendance, and a sustained upward trajectory that makes it an outlier within its own district—a school that is delivering results without the demographic advantages many high-ranking schools enjoy.