City: Colorado Springs, CO

Category: Education

Telephone: (719) 234-1200

Address: 1110 Chapel Hills Dr.

Description: Academy School District 20, or D20 as it’s commonly called, is one of the most well respected school districts in the Pikes Peak region. Standardized test scores remain consistently high across grade levels, schools, and the district in general. A great percentage of high school students graduate, many with national awards, scholarships, and admission to colleges and universities across the country. The district formed with the construction of the US Air Force Academy in 1957, when nearby schools and the new academy schools consolidated into one district. The past two decades have seen so much growth within D20 boundaries that new schools crop up at a fast pace. And that is one of the keys to the district: a sound tax base, and constituents who tend to vote generously on school issues. D20 currently consists of about 23,000 students at five traditional high schools, five traditional middle schools, and 18 elementary schools utilizing the K–5, 6–8, and 9–12 grade level configuration. There is also one charter school, an alternative high school, an online high school, an alternative middle school, and a home school academy for K–9. Each school concentrates on core academic subjects, but the way they teach that information can vary widely. Depending on the school, students can participate in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program from elementary through high school, as well as magnet schools with a focus in science, the arts, or math. The district’s School in the Woods teaches fourth grade based on the natural sciences in a natural setting within the Black Forest, and The Classical Academy is the largest K–12 charter school in the state. Academic programs range from Odyssey of the Mind, National Honor Society, DECA, and Future Business Leaders. Every school houses a library/media and computer center. Co-curricular activities are comprehensive. Music and physical education teachers are in every elementary school, and every high school offers a wide range of performing arts classes and opportunities. Students at all levels are encouraged in sports activities, and intramural and interscholastic athletic activities are strong. D20 schools often compete in various Colorado High School Athletic Association championships. The district partners with Pikes Peak Community College to offer advanced and vocational classes, and D20 and Colorado Technical University have a program allowing online students to earn college credits. The district also promotes several cooperative corporate ventures, such as the Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration and an innovative elementary hands-on science program funded by Hewlett-Packard.