Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 80916

Middle schools in zip code 80916 serve grades 6-8 (with Atlas Preparatory adding 5th grade) for a combined 1,650 students in a high-poverty Colorado Springs area, though all four schools fall below state averages in both ELA and math. The schools belong to two districts: Harrison School District No. 2 and Colorado Springs School District No. 11.

James Irwin Charter Middle School is the clear standout, with the highest state percentile (39th), best test scores (31.7% ELA, 26.7% math), and by far the lowest chronic absenteeism at 9.8% compared to the state rate of 28.4%. It also has the lowest free/reduced lunch rate at 53%, while the other three schools range from 76.5% to 85.8%. At the other end, Jack Swigert Middle School is the most struggling, with the lowest proficiency rates (14.4% ELA, 12.3% math), the highest chronic absenteeism (63.8%), and a 2.9% dropout rate that is nearly double the state average. Atlas Preparatory Middle School and Panorama Middle School fall in between, though both are well below state averages and have shown mixed trends.

Chronic absenteeism and socioeconomic status appear to be the strongest predictors of success in this group. James Irwin’s attendance is 6.5 times better than Jack Swigert’s, and its lower poverty rate likely contributes to its advantage. Math scores improved at most schools, but ELA declined at the two higher-performing schools, making progress inconsistent. Interestingly, smaller class sizes did not lead to better outcomes: Panorama has the lowest student-teacher ratio (11.8) but the second-lowest scores, while Atlas has the highest ratio (17.3) yet outperforms both Panorama and Swigert. Overall, the middle schools in zip code 80916 are in need of significant support, with Jack Swigert standing out as the highest priority for intervention around attendance and academics.