Doherty High School

Doherty High School is a large, comprehensive public high school serving 1,715 students in grades 9–12 in Colorado Springs School District 11, with roughly half of its students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and an overall state ranking in the lower third of Colorado high schools.

Doherty's graduation rate is a relative strength compared to its own district—82.3% in 2024-25 versus 76.7% for the district—though it trails the state average of 85.6%. Reading and writing are the school's brightest academic spot, with 52% of 11th graders proficient on the SAT Reading/Writing section, roughly matching the district average. Math and science are more concerning: SAT Math proficiency sits at just 21%, and only 21.6% of 11th graders are proficient in science on the CMAS. Chronic absenteeism is a significant red flag, with 56% of students considered chronically absent—nearly double the state rate of 28.4% and well above the district's 45.8%.

Within the immediate area, Doherty outperforms Mitchell High School and alternative options like The Bijou School and Nikola Tesla Education Opportunity Center, but it lags several nearby schools in El Paso County Colorado School District 49. Vista Ridge High School ranks in the 43rd percentile and Sand Creek High School in the 26th, while early-college and technical programs such as Odyssey Early College and Career Options, Pikes Peak Early College, and Power Technical all post significantly stronger results. Doherty's dropout rate of 3.2% is double the state rate, and its gifted and talented students rank in the bottom 10 percent statewide—signals that keeping students engaged is a challenge even at the top of the ability range. Families considering Doherty should weigh its strengths in graduation and reading against the high absenteeism and persistent math and science gaps.