Compass Community Collaborative School in Fort Collins

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	9/10	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.
College Readiness	7/10	The College Readiness Rating uses this high school's graduation rates, college entrance exam participation and performance, or AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment participation to determine how well schools are preparing students for success in college and beyond. The College Readiness Rating was created using the following data from the 2021 Civil Rights Data Collection: percentage of students enrolled in IB, AP or Dual Enrollment classes in grades 9-12, using 2025 4-year high school graduation rate data from Colorado Department of Education, using 2025 Average SAT score data from Colorado Department of Education, and using 2025 demographic data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Posted: July 13, 2026

As a former Compass parent, I've had the chance to see the long-term impact of Compass on my now 20-year-old son.
The first thing I'll say is this ... every child is different. They have different personalities, different strengths, different motivations, and different needs. Some kids need more structure. Some need more freedom. What I always appreciated about Compass was that the staff really tried to meet my son where he was.

Now that he's 20, it's funny what comes up when he's home visiting. He's excited to catch up with the good friends he's stayed close with. He talks about projects that got him stoked and teachers who pushed him to engage in respectful two-way dialogue (much needed in this world, IMO). I think that says a lot.

I really liked that subjects like history, civics, and science were taught through projects and experiences. Looking back, I think that's one of the reasons so much of it stuck. He wasn't just memorizing stuff; he was learning how to apply it.
Oh man, the confidence he developed! He graduated believing in himself, knowing he could lead, and feeling comfortable stepping into new opportunities.

I also think education is a partnership. Compass creates incredible opportunities, but families and students have to lean into them and continue be an active participant and guide in their life. It's not solely the school's responsibility.

While at Compass, he participated in concurrent enrollment and completed nearly a semester's worth of classes through Front Range Community College (which is a GREAT program, by the way, if resources are limited). Those credits helped him earn his associate degree in record time. Today, at 20, he's living three states away, building his career and managing his own life with a level of confidence that makes this mom incredibly proud.
Did he ever wonder what it would be like to attend one of the bigger high schools? Sure! But looking back, I think the close-knit community at Compass was one of its greatest strengths.

In a small school, it's harder to avoid difficult conversations or simply move on to another group of friends. Students learn to work through disagreements, respect different viewpoints and backgrounds, and see the person behind the differences. Those are lessons that matter just as much as academics.

Posted: July 13, 2026

Posted: November 20, 2025

This school needs to become a more welcoming environment where students feel comfortable discussing their mental health struggles without fear of judgment. It's essential to promote open conversations about grief and other real world issues. You have encouraging people-pleasing behaviors. By saying its not okay to talk about my brothers passing and punishing his friends for reporting harmful words said to him. Its not okay for you to claim to be an inclusive environment when you are actively punishing children for not fitting in specific mold. Im actually deeply offended and disgusted with how this school has handled this situation. You are school and are mandated to handle situations like this with care and grace. None of that has been seen. My sister doesnt feel comfortable in school because of this administration and its so upsetting when shes already dealing with the loss of her twin.

Posted: November 20, 2025

Posted: October 30, 2025

My child is finally thriving in middle school, and I believe it's because of Compass. After struggling to feel challenged and engaged in elementary school they've found a place where they feel seen, supported, and inspired to learn. The teachers know how to connect with kids and make learning meaningful by connecting lessons to real world issues and encouraging students to take ownership of their learning. Compass has been a wonderful school for our whole family as we've enjoyed attending a variety of events at the school. It's small enough that every student is known, but big enough to offer rich experiences, leadership opportunities, and authentic projects. We've seen so much growth, not just academically, but in confidence and curiosity too. I can't say enough good things about this school and the amazing teachers who make it what it is.

Posted: October 30, 2025

Posted: October 16, 2025

I wanted to take time to reflect on our experience with Compass and leave a thoughtful review. I think we were initially wowed as a family by Compass, and our child had many good experiences, and was generally engaged with learning. The community messaging, the "Love School," the unique space with the open floorplan, variety of classes, community nights and ELO (learning events), teachers on a first name basis, were all things we really loved. It's very different than other middle schools in town. Sadly, our child experienced a lot of upset/drama/bullying/stress attending here, and we had to pull them from the school after a tragedy and the school's handling of the situation and our child. Teachers/staff sometimes lose their cool, drugs and weapons are at the school (which seems typical these days), and lack of adequate psychological support for so many students who need it, were big concerns. Rules/disciplinary actions are delt with emotionally, and without enough equality or sensitivity. The school is very lax with nearly everything, and then extreme when it suits. The principal has a tremendous amount of leeway. PSD both washes it hands of oversight of this school, but also gets involved too late. It is a poor dynamic. There is a good deal of turnover in the staff. Communication with parents is poor and unclear, and often we were unaware of or blindsided by news coming home. Students who speak up about issues are not taken seriously enough. Families should be included and communicated with prior to disciplinary actions. Children are inherently good and should be given a voice to speak for themselves prior to disciplinary actions. The school should follow it's own handbook and policies. I believe that there is a real lack of equality, and common sense in handling of sensitive situations, much to detriment and psychological harm of children. I think this is so unfortunate because there is so much to love about Compass. I think there is a lot for kids to learn. The space within in the building is unique and dynamic, the embracing of different ways of learning is exciting. There are a handful of truly exceptional teachers and staff that my child misses seeing and learning with. Some of these teachers make this school special. Above all they miss their friends. But we did not feel it was a safe and supportive place for them. It is a real loss for our child to be unable to attend Compass due to leadership issues.

Posted: October 16, 2025

Posted: June 19, 2025

Fort Collins has many great schools but Compass is exemplary. If you are looking for high standards combined with lots of attention and individualized curriculum, this is the place for you. My son attended 6th through 11th grades and thrived here. Teachers are amazing and your child will feel truly supported and cared for. Thank you, Compass, for giving our son the best middle and high school experience!

Posted: June 19, 2025

Posted: February 26, 2025

Great school, provides what the students need, no bulliyng

Posted: February 26, 2025

Posted: January 2, 2025

This school did not support my childs learning. It was full of drama among staff and students alike and it did not fell like a professional environment. This school encourages bullying and intimidation. Please steer clear.

Posted: October 30, 2023

My child has had a great middle school experience so far at Compass. Theyre learning, thriving, and growingtaking on leadership roles and learning about real world issues while brainstorming solutions. If youre looking for a small school, invested in its students experiences, Compass is a great option.

Posted: October 30, 2023

Posted: October 1, 2023

We have started out the year calling Compass Middle School, a breath of fresh air. Our son is enjoying learning and growing with excellent/dedicated teachers. additionally, he is surrounded by a committed group of students who care about their each other and work hard in their academics.

Posted: October 1, 2023

Posted: August 30, 2023

I have two kids at Compass and both are thriving, growing, confident and happy. They love school, love going to school and have positive relationships with teachers and staff. I thoroughly feel supported by administration, even when I've brought up issues. Thinks we're resolved quickly and positively. Even middle school had been a pleasant experience! Not without some social issues to navigate, but my kids feel supported to work through things.
I am sorry one or two people didn't have a good experience. I do not think that is the broader experience of families. Not every kid is good for this environment. Overall, I see children who are not only learning about world issues, how to think, act, and take responsibility for each other, but also kids who experience rigorous academic programs in a holistic settings that bring out the best in them.
I'm an educator from way back in the day, and I've always wanted more schools to be project and competency based. Traditional sit-and-get classroom 1-to-many models are not the only option anymore, and I love that..
There are no others schools that offer the opportunities that Compass does. If your child is not self-motivated, they may not do well here because self-advocacy is a big part of what works.
I am so happy I get to take my kids here every day.

Posted: August 30, 2023

Posted: August 25, 2023

I regret sending my son to Compass and wish We had pulled him out earlier rather than subjecting him to a full year of bullying by the school leader. The school leadership is driven more by ego than an honest desire to help kids of all types. We found it to be a mess and very demoralizing for our student.

Posted: August 25, 2023

Posted: December 12, 2022

Compass does a phenomenal job of engaging students to be in control of their educational destiny. They give autonomy to the staff in formation of curriculum that is diverse, current, stimulating and with practical application, while also preparing students for their life as a learner. Compass does a great job of making social emotional learning part of the DNA of the school. Student projects take on big, impacting an community serving needs that help the students connect what they learn in the classroom with what is needed in the world.

Posted: December 12, 2022

My son goes to school happy every day and comes home excited to share his learning. Teachers here form great relationships with students - first name basis between students and teachers. A wonderful environment that fosters deep learning.

Posted: December 12, 2022

My daughter has had an amazing middle and high school experience at Compass. Compass is a small school that has the feel of a private education where every teacher knows your student and where your student is cared for both academically and socially. Much like my child's early Montessori education, the focus here is about making sure kids love learning with many self-designed projects, integration with the community and subjects that really matter to kids.

Posted: December 12, 2022

Compass provides a rich learning environment for students. Students feel academically challenged and supported by their teachers here. Compass offers something really unique in that they not only have high academic standards for Science, Math, ELA, and Social Studies/History content, but they require students to meet real world competencies that prepare them for the post-secondary world. Whether students are college bound or heading into a career right out of high school they are prepared with a high level of personal understanding around their own social-emotional skills, they are well-rounded in their academic knowledge and they are prepared to take on challenges by better understanding how they learn, how they problem solve, and how they communicate and work with others! It is really impressive to hear the graduating seniors at Compass share their story and reflect on their time at Compass as a part of their Senior Portfolio presentations! Compass challenges students to really be engaged in their learning and encourages them to take ownership over their learning by choosing courses that meet their interests, but also completing their learning passport to meet all the competencies required to graduate! Students have options to complete internships, leadership programs, and demonstrate advanced competencies through various community based and independently driven experiences! Compass really is the full package and I'm so thankful this school is a part of our community here in Fort Collins!

Posted: December 12, 2022

My child has received a world-class education at Compass. She has been enrolled for four years, and her test scores, curiosity, ability to communicate, and overall growth has increased an incredible amount. She always feels welcome and supported at Compass, both socially and academically. The small size and dedicated and experienced staff has created an incredible learning community. Couldn't be happier.

Posted: December 12, 2022

Posted: December 9, 2022

Im surprised by the negative reviews as my experience, knowing my child and his peers who have been at Compass since its opening, is that this school has amazing teachers, respect and support for ALL kids, high standards for academics and growth as a contributing community member, and exciting curriculum. Please go visit Compass and talk to the students about the amazing opportunities they have before believing those who would trash its reputation. I wish that every kid had the opportunity to engage in learning the way they do at Compass. They are onto something amazing!

Posted: December 9, 2022

Posted: November 28, 2022

Compass is an innovative learning community in which kids are known, cared for, and supported. The teachers are fabulous and the classes are relevant and interesting. The competency-based advancement system ensures that students engage in active learning so they are prepared to thrive in their postsecondary lives!

Posted: September 13, 2022

Compass has a creative approach to education however they lack the skill and organization to carry out their vision. They rely on students being self motivated and do not support student who have learning disabilities. They combine all age groups and provide little to no supervision. 6th graders and 12th graders are developmentally very differ and should not be put together unsupervised. We left the Compass after one semester. We were so grateful to get away from such a chaotic environment and regret that we didnt leave sooner.

Posted: September 13, 2022

Posted: May 16, 2022

My sibling attended this school and the administration and staff showed completely inappropriate behavior on a regular basis. They refused to accommodate any academic needs of the student, including and not limited to refusing 504s. The curriculum was unstructured and did not prepare students in any way for their future, except perhaps dealing with stupid adults. The staff is unaware of what is developmentally appropriate for middle and high school students and a lack of grades and overall organization only emphasizes this. Don't send your children here, they will receive more support at a public school.

Posted: May 16, 2022

Posted: February 21, 2022

Compass is a really innovative school. The school building is inspiring--very dynamic. The students are compassionate and invested in their own learning.

Posted: February 21, 2022

Posted: August 20, 2021

They say they base themselves off of a certain model but constantly break those rules. They don't include the parents in anything. It's really a school for last chance kids. Do not send your child here if you want them to actually learn and be able to handle college. If there is a problem in the school they are more considerate and helpful to the child causing the problems.

Posted: August 20, 2021

Posted: May 9, 2021

A school that may have good intentions however leaders implementation flaws and lack of experience running a school is detrimental and the close staff who have been friends for decades caused a nepotistic judgmental culture of dysfunction and fear. our kids suffered and were miserable with their unstructured school model. Our kids couldnt wait to get back to tangible academic core content they could understand and excel in, and not be flailing through minimally guided elusive non concrete long term projects- and no grades made them feel even more uncertain. They hold the students to college standards and are not in line with normal development of 6-12 graders. They also told me they didnt need to take a child with accommodations and became very upset when I presented a 504 after registering my child.

Posted: May 9, 2021

Compass Community Collaborative School

Fort Collins, CO 80525

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Compass Community Collaborative School

Fort Collins, CO 80525

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