Summary:
Zip code 80916 in Colorado Springs, Colorado is home to three public high schools—Sierra High School, Atlas Preparatory High School, and James Irwin Charter High School—all part of Harrison School District No. 2, serving grades 9 through 12 with enrollments ranging from 425 to 843 students.
James Irwin Charter High School is the clear academic standout, ranking 72nd out of 338 Colorado high schools (79th percentile, 4 stars) with 83% proficiency in SAT reading/writing, 90% proficiency in PSAT10 reading/writing, and just 7.4% chronic absenteeism. Atlas Preparatory High School serves the highest-poverty population in the group (82.6% free/reduced lunch eligibility) yet achieves a 94.2% graduation rate, exceeding both the district (89.8%) and state (85.6%) averages, along with SAT math proficiency above the state average. Sierra High School is the most challenged school in the zip code, ranking 309th (9th percentile, 0 stars) with 58.1% chronic absenteeism—more than double the district rate—and only 12% of 9th graders proficient in math.
The stark contrasts within this single zip code highlight how much school-level factors matter. Chronic absenteeism is the clearest dividing line: fewer than 1 in 13 students at James Irwin is chronically absent, while more than 1 in 2 at Sierra falls into this category. Math proficiency is a weakness across all three schools, even at James Irwin where only 42% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT math, but it is most severe at Sierra. Both charter schools outperform the traditional public school on state rankings, test scores, graduation rates, and attendance. For families in this area, school choice clearly matters; for policymakers, Sierra High School represents the most urgent intervention priority.
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