Harrison High School

Harrison High School is a large public high school in Colorado Springs, CO, serving 1,089 students in grades 9–12 as part of Harrison School District No. 2. The school currently holds a one-star rating and ranks in the bottom 10% of Colorado high schools (303rd out of 338), a decline from the 46th percentile a decade ago. Despite that, the graduation rate has climbed from 72.8% in 2021–2022 to 92.2% in 2024–2025 — above both the district (89.8%) and state (85.6%) averages.

Academically, Harrison trails district and state averages in nearly every subject. The biggest concern is math: only 11% of 11th graders are proficient on the SAT Math exam, compared to 24% in the district and 32% statewide. Reading and writing scores are stronger but still behind. Chronic absenteeism is another serious challenge, with 50.3% of students missing substantial school time, nearly double the statewide rate of 28.4%. The contrast with higher-performing charter schools in the same district is striking: The Vanguard School ranks 4th in the state with 80% SAT math proficiency, and James Irwin Charter High School posts 42%. Even Atlas Preparatory High School, serving a higher-poverty population, reaches 37% math proficiency.

There are meaningful bright spots. Harrison's work with students with disabilities stands out — that subgroup ranked in the 75th percentile statewide and earned a four-star rating. The school also compares favorably to nearby Sierra High School, with a graduation rate of 92.2% versus 85.2%. It is likewise a more stable option than alternative schools like Career Readiness Academy, Eastlake High School of Colorado Springs, and Community Prep Charter School, all of which have lower graduation rates and much higher absenteeism. With a dropout rate of 1.6% — equal to the state average — Harrison offers families in southeast Colorado Springs a dependable choice. The clearest priorities going forward are raising math proficiency, reducing chronic absenteeism, and applying the strategies that already work for students with disabilities to other groups.