Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning

Colorado Springs, CO 80907

Phone: (719) 434-6566
Fax: (719) 434-9696
District: Colorado Springs 11 School District

8

GreatSchools Rating

charter • Grades KG,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 • 298 students

Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning, a charter school located in Colorado Springs, CO, serves grades K-8 in the Colorado Springs 11 School District.It has received a GreatSchools Rating of 8 out of 10, based on a variety of school quality measures.

Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning is a charter school located in Colorado Springs, CO. 298 students attend Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning.

School Ratings

Category Rating Details
Test Scores 8/10 The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) data from Colorado Department of Education.

Posted: January 11, 2026

They only care if your kids is great, and good regulated.

Posted: January 11, 2026

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Posted: December 9, 2025

Your school is great i would like to rate it a 6-7 but thats not an option so only 5s

Posted: December 9, 2025

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Posted: October 30, 2023

We moved our son from our local school to Academy ACL for first grade due to our neighborhood school not being able to meet his needs as a gifted child. He entered kindergarten early in D20 and his ALP wasn't enough for him. At Academy ACL he is grade accelerated and is able to accelerate even further for World of Math and Art of Language and is learning about machines, the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece which has been amazing for him and so interesting for me as a parent as well.

His teachers have also been very invested in helping him learn how to self regulate and function well in the classroom as a younger student. They truly care about him and are invested in his ability to advocate for himself and have a positive educational path long term. It's amazing seeing him grow and we are so happy with our decision.

Posted: October 30, 2023

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Posted: September 26, 2023

My daughter is currently in second grade at AcademyACL. We moved from out of state for her to attend and could not be happier with our decision. Although we are still new here, the environment and support we have experienced has been above and beyond what we could have hoped for, especially when compared to her previous school.

Posted: September 26, 2023

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Posted: September 12, 2023

My son attended AcademyACL from kindergarten through 8th grade, and our daughter has attended from kindergarten through 6th grade (she is a current student). The school provided a safe and stimulating environment for both of them through the elementary years. Our son's middle school experience was during the pandemic. This school seemed to be set back more than the public schools because of their limited resources, so his middle school years were somewhat lacking in stimulation and connection. The school has made a big effort this year to start offering more enrichment activities, and we are hoping that leads to a more stimulating middle school experience for our daughter. We love the teachers and staff, and we highly recommend the school for advanced children who need to accelerate at their own pace.

Posted: September 12, 2023

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Posted: August 25, 2023

Academy ACL is a phenomenal school. I have two kids in this school and they both love it and are excited to go. The staff is supportive of my ADHD daughter's needs and my son's sensory issues. I can't imagine my kids anywhere else. The front desk staff is friendly and responsive. The teachers are friendly and the school works hard to find the right teacher to fit your kid. I love that they do before school year conferences that are student-led so that the teachers can learn more about your child and their interests.

Posted: August 25, 2023

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Posted: August 15, 2023

This school is unique in the Pikes Peak Region for providing an all day, every day gifted education program to all enrolled students. In contrast to the Denver/Metro area where there are eight+ schools that provide private, public, public magnet, and public charter options specializing in gifted education, AcademyACL is currently the only one in the Pikes Peak area that provides kindergarteners through eighth graders the support from gifted education that they need as highly complex learners, all day, every day, in every class.

Additionally, because this is a public school of choice, there are no entrance requirements and families are free to choose the advanced, gifted education model without having a test-score cut-off for entrance. Teachers come to work at this school because they care about the unique needs of these learners, and they get additional ongoing training onsite; they are highly collaborative teammates who learn and team together.

Students take the level of reading and writing, and math, in the mornings for their assessed level of need, not their grade level. For example, a kindergarten student might take third grade reading, and second grade math or kindergarten math; they do not have to be the same level of readiness in all subjects or in those two subjects. Students are enrolled in multi-age homerooms, where the other subject areas are taught with high complexity and the Integrated Curriculum Model, designed for gifted learners, that uses Big Ideas to connect across disciplines.

Posted: April 29, 2023

I love this school, but it has it's pros and cons. Some good things about this school is that the teachers are welcoming and it is organized in a way that for example, if a fifth grader knew seventh grade math, they would have a seventh grade math class. Some bad things I have experienced, though, is the fact that in multiple of my classes we voted on no group punishments, but the teachers have never kept their word about that. One teacher even thought up an excuse that there are 'no group rewards, either', but what she was doing was still a group punishment. Also, there were multiple assistant teachers, or just a teacher in general, that were very unfair and tricked the nice teachers into thinking the kids were being, for example, 'WAY too loud'. Another teacher was nice to the point where she was unfair, and she treated her staff kid and the staff kid's friend with so much respect that they got to skip classes, be on their phones, and do the heck whatever they wanted. Don't take this personally, I just think that there is room to improve.

Posted: April 29, 2023

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Posted: April 18, 2023

My son attended this school for two years, they do not have supportive systems, the personal is very rude, if your kid don't behave in their rules system, is gonna be a big problem, and immediately they bring adhd issues, when actually could be some totally different circumstances, they neglected in my son difficulties to read.

Posted: April 18, 2023

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Posted: September 12, 2022

I hate a lot of teachers and students but IÂ’m in my last year here and IÂ’ve had a good time and made a lot of memories, friends, and even learned some things.

Posted: September 12, 2022

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Posted: August 3, 2022

My child had a really positive experience overall at this school from 2nd grade all the way through 8th grade. Not every day was fantastic, of course, but overall he felt seen, challenged, and made excellent friends. The teachers really care about kids and work hard to build a community where kids are expected to be kind, encouraged to advocate for their own needs, including the freedom to go beyond the regular curriculum, and allowed to develop individually and at their pace. My student needed extra support in writing, but was recognized for his ability to read at a high school level and also accomplished some high school math curriculum before graduating. The recent renovation of the school was an incredible upgrade, with a brand new gym, theater space, and Engineering lab.

Posted: August 3, 2022

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Posted: August 1, 2022

Dont go here if you love your children

Posted: August 1, 2022

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Posted: May 18, 2022

This school is NOT recommended if you want to send your kid to school don't send them here the teachers are completely and utterly unreasonable your kids will get in trouble for the dumbest things take this for example my kid is in 7th grade and said the word pedofile and nearly got suspended if i could i would rate this school zero stars thumbs down.

Posted: May 18, 2022

Posted: August 3, 2021

Posted: August 3, 2021

Posted: August 3, 2021

Posted: August 3, 2021

This school misses the mark and doesn't deliver a challenging enough environment in all subjects for its truly gifted and advanced students. We ended our time at AACL with multiple subscriptions to online programs so that our child would have an appropriate education.

Our child's language arts teacher stopped teaching handwriting in October of last year, didn't grade any papers, didn't teach spelling words, and basically sat in her chair and sipped iced coffee - occasionally reading aloud from a chapter book and asking the kids to fill out arbitrary vocab words and book summaries. That was it - the entire year. We bought our own grade appropriate LA curriculum and did it at home, and our own spelling/handwriting.

Science and social studies were abysmal. My child was memorizing the periodic table in second grade, while the teacher was talking to the kids about...the names of oceans. In the meantime, we went through appropriate curriculum at home and with a subscription to Time4Learning.com.

Math was okay, with one teacher being excellent, although we struggled to get correct placement going, and then our child was getting through the curriculum in about 1/2 the time the class took, and then was mostly left alone to do math online with Aleks - which anyone can buy. We took matters into our own hands and purchased a math curriculum online and a live instructor-led class with The Art of Problem Solving that is a much better fit for our child who learns quickly.

Other than that, we experienced a lack of communication, teachers who were no shows to virtual classes, and general disorganization during our child's three years at the school. I didn't see a reason to drive across town to go to the, "gifted," school when we were supplementing so much at home. We were just very disappointed as there are no K-8 gifted options in the Springs. and wanted a cohesive and stable K-8 experience for our children. But, our child was coming home every day in tears, was constantly sick, and just wasn't happy. Most of the students at the school are not gifted, which means the classes are geared more towards the middle, and not the >95%. It just wasn't a huge improvement over our neighborhood schools which have similar test scores....but serve a much more diverse and presumably average population.

Parents of gifted students - enter with caution and be prepared to advocate for your child's need, regular communication, to see test scores, get an ALP made, etc.

Posted: August 3, 2021

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Posted: January 29, 2021

Posted: January 29, 2021

Posted: January 29, 2021

Posted: January 29, 2021

Posted: January 29, 2021

Posted: January 29, 2021

Posted: January 29, 2021

I would first like to say that, for younger students (4th grade and below) the school is amazing, they have great teachers, a great water fountain, and a healthy learning environment, and plenty of challenges they can partake in academically. However, parents of older students, keep your kids away! The teachers find it perfectly acceptable to just quit or we have had some get fired for gross negligence of student's well being, once sending a student into the hallway during a lockdown drill for talking. My last year at that school they couldn't find a teacher after one had a near-deadly medical emergency (unrelated to the school) so we had a long-term sub that entire year (shout out to Linda Peterson, you were the best teacher I ever had). The facilities were appalling, a close friend of mine found earwigs and I found a quarter-sized spider in the bathrooms. There was a cobweb in one of the corners for the entire two years that I went there. The floors were nasty, similar to that of a gas station bathroom, and when a parent complained about the horrendous conditions, they forced all parents to use the better-maintained staff toilets. Several of the female students would (myself included) leave sanitary products out for other girls, which the staff would toss promptly into the trash. We would be forced to go out into below-freezing conditions for recess and outdoor lunch. During lunch, thumb-sized wasps/hornets would settle upon our lunch leaving students scared to shoo them off in fear of getting stung and leaving them hungry. The wasp/hornets were really lazy and slow-moving and, to my knowledge, they haven't stung anyone. Please send your students elsewhere! Older students were forced to sit through assemblies with younger kids and treated like the younger kids, which wasn't optional. A student in the sixth grade was forced to read disturbing stories such as The Lottery where a random town's person gets stoned to death just for the fun of it and The Veldt in which, two kids kill their parents, and later their counselor with the high-tech powers of their house. The school also invests their money in pointless stuff like MacBooks instead of the things they promise, like a water fountain for the older kids, better (non-optional) electives. This was a horable school, I woudn't recamend this place to my worst enamy.

Posted: November 19, 2020

Posted: November 19, 2020

Posted: November 19, 2020

Posted: November 19, 2020

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Posted: November 19, 2020

Posted: November 19, 2020

Posted: November 19, 2020

This school is good for a place to send your kid for elementary school, but I definetely would not recommend for and kid higher than 6th grade. The middle school students are treated less favorably than the elementary school students. Definetely would not send your kid there for middle school. This school does not deal with bullying well. I was bullied for 2 years non-stop there, and the prinicipal, Nikki Meyers, did nothing about it, despite other teachers and my mom knowing about it and bringing it up to her multiple times over time. This school does not effectively deal with bullying at all. I knew other kids there that were also bullied and nothing was done to help them either. The punishment system there is also very unjust. Kids there get in trouble for things that they normally wouldn't get in trouble for at other schools.

Posted: November 19, 2019

The students learn to time manage in the classroom. If they are unable to complete the work in class then it comes home to be completes at home.

Posted: November 19, 2019

Due to the small community atmosphere the staff invests into your child as if it the student were their own child. They staff has a wonderful vision to see the student succeed, not just get a good grade but to be successful in every area of life.

Posted: November 19, 2019

Posted: November 19, 2019

With the unique Division levels set up (2 grades in one classroom) it helps to foster leadership/mentor ship in the student body. The students are encouraged to model the way as well as present challenge ideas to help grow and develop a process.

Posted: November 19, 2019

The learning environment is designed to help the individual within the group. It really is a brilliant teaching design and I wish all schools would model this environment.

Posted: November 19, 2019

They do well to help teach a child to self advocate, minimize issues & learn empathy.

Posted: November 19, 2019

This school is nothing but phenomenal! They have done wonders for my children in regards to keeping them engaged in learning, discovering their individual passions. The staff is very passionate about each students success and this school allows the staff to operate in this passion which makes for a beautiful learning experience for the students and families. The school has far exceeded our high expectations!

Posted: August 9, 2019

Most students end up with worse social skills than prior to entering.

Posted: August 9, 2019

The whole place is poorly managed, randomly calling early dismissal (and not allowing 7th and 8th students to use public transit to leave, requiring a parent sign-out), having hour long assemblies and then complaining about students not having enough time for the class that was supposed to take place during the latter half of the assembly, and also maintain standards that do not help (e.g. Meyers' pre-writing, which involves four drafts as opposed to ONE modifiable rough draft).

Posted: August 9, 2019

Students who do not learn quickly are dehumanized here, with the only real advantage being ability based placement (which allows students to take math, and English at their own pace without having to go up or down a grade).

Posted: August 9, 2019

If the bully has a mental disorder, the administration uses that as an excuse for not using disciplinary measures. Also, if the bully is the child/relative of an employee, they usually won't face any consequences either.

Posted: August 9, 2019

They have a policy where your student can finish their work in class and not have to take any home, which does not prepare students for high school (I can excuse this for grades 5 and below).

Posted: August 9, 2019

There is a high teacher turnover rate (including five different ones in the 2015-16 school year). Most teachers brought in are incompetent, usually berate students for no reason, and also will write up students (note: Level 1 is just a sheet sent home, Level 2 is in-school suspension, and Level 3 is expulsion) for no reason.

Posted: August 9, 2019

This school is poorly managed, poorly-educating dump, with no discipline for students. Avoid at all costs!

Posted: August 2, 2019

The school has the standard recommendation for reading daily. There were also worksheets sent home as suggestions, but not required. The homework policy was generally not to make things too repetitive as this could backfire on gifted and talented learners. This worked wonders for us. Our child completed what he felt was necessary and stopped there. There were no hours of homework a night.

Posted: August 2, 2019

The teachers are accustomed to dealing with the emotional needs of gifted learners. They worked as a team with the therapists and specialists for my child. They have an opportunity to attend gifted specific workshops and training. I think this keeps their skillset fresh with new ideas.

Posted: August 2, 2019

The students have a life skills section of their day where character qualities are introduced and studied. So far, my child's favorite character topics were compassion and courage. Not bad.

Posted: August 2, 2019

I can only speak from my perspective as a parent. The principal knew my name, my child's name, and my husband's name and greeted us when she saw us in the school. She makes herself the target of fundraiser goals, such as getting in a dunk tank. In the years we've been at the school, she has communicated quickly and effectively to make sure parents were looped into things going on at the school, in the district, and education impact events outside the local area.

Posted: August 2, 2019

My child is on an IEP (came to the school with one). The team worked with us (parents) to make sure everyone's input was understood. On their plan, my child did meet some goals and had items removed from his IEP because they were no longer a concern. It's fantastic to know they don't work to maintain an IEP but to truly address the issues and develop a plan to progress.

Posted: August 2, 2019

I wish I could say my child was perfect and would never bully anyone. My child is loving and caring, but also had moments where the exact opposite were true. I received an immediate notification of behavior and how school staff was approaching it and integrated the parents into the solution process. When my child was the target of bullying, I've seen teachers immediately attend to it. Additionally, it is talked about during student assemblies, life skills class, and at a social behaviors group led by the school psychologist. Thi

Posted: August 2, 2019

We adore this school! They have an active Facebook page. If you'd like to get a sense of a small part of what they're about, you can see what they post. You can get a sense of what they value by the information they post and share. They do warn that the school may not be suitable for all learners and why. Please don't take the statement lightly.

Posted: March 18, 2019

Posted: March 18, 2019

Tyrannical. Her way or the highway. Overbearing. Micro-manager. Makes life miserable for the teachers.

Posted: March 18, 2019

One of the only pros. My kid was moved to 5th grade ELA and 4th grade math when she was in 2nd grade to meet her where she was academically.

Posted: March 18, 2019

The principal IS a bully and we experienced plenty of kid bullying. Very stressful for my kid.

Posted: March 18, 2019

Posted: March 18, 2019

They do not have support from the principal. Curriculum organization seems willy-nilly. They can't even give real grades.

Posted: March 18, 2019

Other than a few good teachers and the grade level acceleration to meet students at their level, this school is just rough. The principal is tyrannical, micromanaging, unsupportive, and dictatorial towards her staff. We attended for 3 + years, we should know. Look at the teacher attrition rates before you enroll. Also, if you expect to see any grades, any of the work they've completed, test scores (even when tests are happening), or other normal things like spelling, etc, you are not going to get it here. Just ask about the grades - look at an example report card. You are going to be left COMPLETELY in the dark. The Spanish program is horrendous. My kid was "learning" the same things in 2nd grade that she learned in K and was bored out of her mind. Art and PE are pretty good. The principal makes life so miserable for the parent organization that on one wants to deal with her ever. It took her 2 years and all of our fundraising money for those years to get a playground for the school and by playground I mean a hill of dirt that she says is special. Take a look at it and decide if your kid would like a grassy hill with lots of rules for a playground. There was a child in my daughter's class that was so repeatedly violent the teacher couldn't handle it and 7 students ended up leaving the school from just her class. The principal covered it up and said the violent kid "just had a bad day". There was plenty of bullying. Most of the kids that go here are not actually gifted by the way. Like 90%. There is almost nothing for you to see on the "parent portal" about your kids progress or what they are actually studying, etc. Good things are Jr Battle of the Books at younger ages, brain breaks, and robotics, art, and accelerated academics for those who need it. No sports or musical instruments, and a very small variety of clubs. This could probably fixed with more support from the principal for the parent staff, but if you know her well, you will know that's never going to happen.

Posted: October 25, 2018

Teachers at Academy ACL do an amazing job handling the wide differences in personalities and learning needs of gifted and non-gifted students.

Posted: October 25, 2018

Posted: October 25, 2018

Posted: October 25, 2018

Teachers are trained to educate gifted students, and do a great job of being inclusive and making everyone feel welcomed.

Posted: October 25, 2018

Posted: October 25, 2018

Posted: October 25, 2018

Academy ACL has been a life saving school for my gifted child. From the first day he set foot in the school, he felt welcomed, challenged, and safe.I highly recommend this school for kids with gifted learning needs.

Posted: August 12, 2018

Posted: August 12, 2018

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Posted: August 12, 2018

We had to move to another state, and no longer have children at AcademyACL, which we very much regret. We moved to Fairfax County, Virginia, which has highly rated schools but has NO Gifted Education program whatsoever. We really miss Academy ACL, and our appreciation has only deepened. If my job permitted, I would move back to Colorado Springs in a heartbeat and put my daughter back into this school. My son is now in high school and couldnÂ’t attend, but I cannot recommend this school highly enough based on our experience in other highly-rated districts and schools that cannot hold a candle to this fantastic school.

Posted: April 26, 2016

My daughter attends AACL, and she and I love this school! Being an advanced reader for first grade, she was moved up to 3rd grade reading. A few months into the school year, we get a really nice email from her math teacher that says she should be moved up to 2nd grade math! She really enjoys the challenges the school gives her, and loves her teachers and classes very much. ~_^

Posted: April 26, 2016

Posted: April 26, 2016

This school has a "No Homework" policy as long as the student does the work in class. A couple of times, my daughter has brought work home, and it gets done quickly. She has also had several book reports and "Teaching Time" assignments throughout the year that we have worked on together.

Posted: April 26, 2016

Posted: February 4, 2015

Everyone at this school cares so much about the students and their families and has been a very positive place for my child's growth in learning.

Posted: January 24, 2015

We have attended AACL for 3 years and are so pleased! We have 2 gifted children who have truly thrived in this environment. They are completely different learners but, are still being challenged and are learning at an accelerated rate. We plan on staying.

Posted: October 2, 2014

We have been thrilled with the change to this school because it has allowed all three of our gifted children to thrive. It really is a community for gifted adults parenting gifted kids. I have yet to see a school that is THIS GOOD a communicating with families, encouraging classroom observation and involvement, finding ways to foster independence and executive functioning skills, and work on ways to build positive family time. Academic expectations are high. Teacher expectations are very high. Problems are resolved as a team (including the parents and child.) I always feel like I have a resource in the teachers and administrators. They value hard work as much as intelligence. Great school, but do take a tour. It really isn't for child or every family. For those that do "fit" it will make life so much better! There is hope...

Posted: August 17, 2014

AcademyACL is absolutely state of the art concerning gifted education. I couldn't disagree more with the negative post of July 16. This person in fact seems to have no idea about gifted education and the needs of those children. Our son has tried several schools that claimed to have programs for gifted children. The reality was zero focus on his needs. AcademyACL is the first and only one that truly focussed on gifted education. The teachers understand him and his needs, and as a matter of fact it is the first time that he goes to school happy. The principal's involvement and expertise are incredible, and so are the enthusiasm and professionality of the school staff. If you kid is gifted, this school is a gift for him/her!

Posted: March 24, 2014

My daughter has been at AACL since it's inception and I find that it's been a blessing in her life. The way AACL has managed to cater to each child's learning ability is something every school should learn how to do. She has gone from math and reading at grade level to excelling to a grade ahead in both subjects. They avoid the monotonous repetition and encourage "hands on" learning which has really helped my child. I am very thankful for AACL.

Posted: September 19, 2013

My 2x exceptional (gifted/autism) 5 y.o. attends AACL, and his teachers the E.C. team are AMAZING! Others have written of the academic wonders at AACL. It's true! My son receives ample support, while being challenged to grow. His peers are generous and kind. Older kids guide, mentor, and engage him in after school enrichment. They seem to understand him in a way that even I do not. 3 weeks in, my VERY shy son sang a solo for class! In just 5 weeks, every adult from custodian to office staff to upper division teachers and aids knows him by name. I know AACL isn't for every kid, but almost every school would have been wrong for mine; yet here, he's home. Re: required volunteerism, I love it! I've worked in public schools for years, and while I've heard a lot of griping about uninvolved parents, I've also seen teachers and admins get grouchy when parents actually try to be involved. Not here. I feel better than welcome; I feel APPRECIATED for sending emails, asking questions, & making requests. AACL values my input as the person who knows my son best. They WANT to know what I know and share with me what they observe and experience as they teach my son!

Posted: September 8, 2013

AACL has been the best fit for my girls who have been to 2 other schools. They let every child explore their strengths and strengthen their weaknesses. Every child is valued and parents are an integral part of the learning process. Teachers are good at communicating with parents, forming a partnership for the betterment of the child. If your child is a fast learner, needs an accelerated pace curriculum and just plain loves to learn, this is the place for them!

Posted: September 8, 2013

We love AACL! It has been a great place for our kids to grow and learn.

Posted: September 8, 2013

Defiantly hands down the best school my kids have ever been in. Geared more towards the students needs and learning speed. Teachers and staff are not there "just for the paycheck". They all genuinely care and know every student by name! We absolutely love Academy ACL and are so happy to have found it!

Posted: April 29, 2013

Academy ACL is the only school in the Colorado Springs area to specialize in educating Gifted and Twice Exceptional Learners (2E). As the school completes it's third year of operation, the school is looking to build on the strong foundation that has been laid and is working on the future needs of ALL of it's students and faculty. Involvement is needed in many areas to do research, visit other schools, as part of smaller groups interested in the long term strategic growth of the academy. The Director of the school is very proactive in making the Academy not only a great school, but a wonderful resource for all of the Pikes Peak region in the areas of Gifted and 2E education. The other administrators (2) and Office staff (2) are very professional and work very hard to make Academy ACL a safe and nurturing place for our children to learn. The teachers at the academy are wonderful and portray their labor of LOVE everyday with their pupils and care for them as if the kids were their own. I was amazed recently to find out the Academy does all of this GREAT work with only a third of the funding received by other district schools. Without a doubt Academy ACL is a GREAT SCHOOL!

Posted: March 21, 2013

AACL has been a fantastic school for my children. The fast pace of instruction, integration between specials and academics, and especially the ability tracking for math and language arts have kept both of my kids engaged and loving school. The level of parent involvement is fantastic, and the frequent conferences allow parents to have a good understanding of their child's strengths and struggles.

Posted: January 30, 2013

As a parent, I feel that the responsibility for the knowledge of drugs, anatomy, and preparation for high school lies in the hands of their parent. Who better knows their child's level of interest, understanding, and susceptibility in each of those areas? When our children are with their friends, there is an inclination to follow "group think" instead of asking the pertinent questions to help the maturation process. Many of these students grasp matters quickly and desire to go more in-depth, which is better suited to a parent- child discussion. These students will likely only feel uncomfortable if their parents are. If the parents approach the subjects very openly, and keep the lines of communication open, the desired result of knowledge will ultimately be attained. While I support the school whole-heartily, I have no desire to allow the school to be the one to teach them in these matters. It can become a political mess trying to teach to satisfy all manners of thought. I will continue working with my four to teach them what they need to know. This is my job as a parent.

Posted: January 29, 2013

This is the third year of operation for the school and some things seem to have stayed true to the original charter, but some haven't. The students in the upper divisions need to get more of a feeling that they are in middle school (school is k-8). That should involve separate assemblies, health information about the changes they are seeing and feeling with their bodies and to some point the culture of high school. To avoid treating the students as if nothing different is happening within them and around them will only make a student want to explore different areas in high school. They will need to address smoking, drug use, alcohol parties and the one work no one wants to talk about, sex. The type of student at the school is curious by nature and to ignore the temptations that will hit in high school is setting them up for failure. Yes the issues aren't the easiest to talk about, but it is better to talk about them now and not end up with a students or more live the temptation without any knowledge. Where are the life lessons these students will face being taught? Make the changes before your charter renewal comes up next year, before students start to explore drugs, alcohol & sex

Posted: January 29, 2013

Academy ACL has been a life saver for my son. After trying several area schools from K through second grade, we finally found a school where he gets academically challenged and teachers truly care about him. Many of his previous schools had "excellent" ratings, claimed to offer differentiation, but had nothing but a one-size-fits-all approach. My son was bored and very tired of the repetition. He has been in AACL for two years and he is very happy with the school, he is accepted by his peers, and has wonderful teachers. The curriculum and the ability grouping are excellent and not just busy work. Parent involvement is very high and the school support staff and the Director are wonderful. No more being bored. No more having to spend hours after school actually teaching him what he was not being taught at school. I am very pleased with AACL and I wish the school the best as it continues to grow!

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# Name Type City State Overall Rating Distance
1 Mountain Shadows Neighborhood/Subdivision Colorado Springs CO 3.8 mi
2 Windmill Apartments Apartment Complex Colorado Springs CO 5.6 mi
3 Dakota Ridge Neighborhood/Subdivision Colorado Springs CO 6.2 mi
4 Cheyenne Mountain Neighborhood/Subdivision Colorado Springs CO 6.3 mi
5 Briargate - Fairfax Neighborhood/Subdivision Colorado Springs CO 8 mi
6 Pronghorn Meadows Neighborhood/Subdivision Colorado Springs CO 8 mi
7 Comanche Village Neighborhood/Subdivision Fort carson CO 8.3 mi
8 Wolf Ranch Neighborhood/Subdivision Colorado Springs CO 8.7 mi
9 Cordera Neighborhood/Subdivision Colorado Springs CO 8.8 mi
10 Stetson Hills Neighborhood/Subdivision Colorado Springs CO 8.8 mi
11 Wolf Ranch (Briargate) Neighborhood/Subdivision Colorado Springs CO 9.2 mi
12 Security Valley Neighborhood/Subdivision Colorado Springs CO 9.8 mi
13 Flying Horse Neighborhood/Subdivision Colorado Springs CO 10.6 mi
14 Falcon Neighborhood/Subdivision Peyton CO 12.5 mi
15 Fountain Valley Neighborhood/Subdivision Colorado Springs CO 13 mi
16 Forest Lakes Neighborhood/Subdivision Monument CO 13.7 mi
17 Meridian Ranch Neighborhood/Subdivision Peyton CO 14.8 mi
# Name City State Overall Rating Distance
1 Colorado Springs Co Colorado Springs CO 2.5 mi
2 North Cheyenne Canyon Colorado Springs CO 6.6 mi
3 Manitou Springs Colorado Springs CO 7.8 mi
4 North Gate Blvd Colorado Springs CO 11.4 mi
Base Distance
Peterson AFB 8.3 mi.
Cheyenne Mountain Air Station 8.6 mi.
Fort Carson 9.2 mi.
US Air Force Academy 9.5 mi.
Schriever AFB 17.1 mi.
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