Merit Academy

Q: Is Merit Academy a good school?

Merit Academy ranks 230 th of 943 Colorado alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Merit Academy is a public charter school located in Woodland Park, Colorado, serving students from kindergarten to 10th grade with a student population of 266. The school is part of the Woodland Park School District No. Re-2, which is ranked 18th out of 116 districts in Colorado and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Merit Academy consistently outperforms the district and state in various academic assessments, with 64.1% of students proficient or better in CMAS/English Language Arts, 50% of 8th-grade students proficient or better in CMAS/Science, and 43.6% of students proficient or better in CMAS/Math, compared to lower percentages for the district and state. The school also performs well on PSAT and SAT assessments. However, Merit Academy has a significantly higher percentage of white students (88.35%) compared to nearby schools, which have more diverse student populations. The school's lower student-teacher ratio of 11.1 suggests a more personalized learning environment, which may contribute to its academic success.

In comparison, Thomas MacLaren State Charter School also performs well academically, but has a more diverse student population. The Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind serves a unique population of students with specialized needs and has a higher percentage of Hispanic and African American students, as well as a significantly higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. Lake George Charter School and Zebulon Pike have lower academic performance compared to Merit Academy, the district, and the state, and also have higher percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-10

600 E Kelley's Lane
Woodland Park, CO 80863

(720) 480-0939

District: Woodland Park School District No. Re-2

SchoolDigger Rank:
230^th of 943 Colorado Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,790

Student/teacher ratio: 13.1

Number of students: 363

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.8%

Two or more races:

6.6%

Hispanic:

4.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 26.4%

See top rated Colorado elementary schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Merit Academy ranks better than 75.6% of elementary schools in Colorado. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 73.49. (See more...)

Compare Details Merit Academy ranks better than 77.9% of middle schools in Colorado. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 73.4. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (86.8%), two or more races (6.6%), Hispanic (4.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 26.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Merit Academy is 13.1. (See more...)

Compare Merit Academy employs 27.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Merit Academy is $10,790.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Merit Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Merit Academy 230^th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Merit Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Merit Academy 107^th of 485 Colorado public middle schools. (See Merit Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Woodland Park School District No. Re-2:

SchoolDigger ranks Woodland Park School District No. Re-2 18^th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Merit Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Merit Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	73.49	230^th	943	75.6%

See the entire list of Colorado Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Merit Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	70.37	188^th	684	72.5%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Merit Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	61.82	245^th	683	64.1%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Merit Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	37.75	358^th	539	33.6%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Colorado Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Merit Academy

Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Merit Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	73.40	107^th	485	77.9%

See the entire list of Colorado Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school White students at Merit Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	38.64	163^rd	273	40.3%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Colorado Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Merit Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2022	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2023	235	2	0	12	1	2	14	266
2024	315	3	1	17	1	2	24	363

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Merit Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2023	266	23.9	11.1	n/a
2024	363	27.7	13.1	26.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Merit Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2023	266	23.9	11.1	n/a
2024	363	27.7	13.1	26.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Merit Academy

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$00
2020	$00
2021	$00
2022	$00
2023	$10,790

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Schools Near Merit Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				PSAT10 Reading and Writing (2024)	PSAT10 Mathematics (2024)	PSAT9 Reading and Writing (2024)	PSAT9 Mathematics (2024)	SAT Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	CMAS English Language Arts (2024)							CMAS Math (2024)							CMAS Science (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT10 Reading and Writing 10th Grade	PSAT10 Mathematics 10th Grade	PSAT9 Reading and Writing 9th Grade	PSAT9 Mathematics 9th Grade	SAT Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math 6th Grade	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	CMAS Science 8th Grade	CMAS Science 11th Grade	Total
Merit Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-10	600 E Kelley's Lane	Woodland Park	80863	Teller County	Woodland Park School District No. Re-2	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(720) 480-0939	363	28	13.1	26.4%	315 (86.8%)	3 (0.8%)	17 (4.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	24 (6.6%)								(n/a)	79.0	42.0	75.0	50.0			59.5	72.2		61.9	67.7		64.1	54.8	44.4		31.0	48.4		43.6		50.0		$10,790
Education reEnvisioned School	Public, Alternative	K-12	430 Beacon Lite Road Suite 150	Monument	80132	El Paso County	Education Reenvisioned BOCES	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(719) 963-9824	44	13	3.3		31 (70.5%)	3 (6.8%)	10 (22.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																								$4,690
Spark Online Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-11	2015 Wickes Rd	Colorado Springs	80919	El Paso County	Colorado Springs School District No. 11	No	No	Yes	No	(719) 328-4300	205	26	7.8		85 (41.5%)	18 (8.8%)	70 (34.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.0%)	1 (0.5%)	27 (13.2%)								(n/a)												34.8	37.9							12.5				$20,543
Zebulon Pike	Public, Alternative	4-12	1427 West Rio Grande	Colorado Springs	80905	El Paso County	Cheyenne Mountain School District No. 12	No	No	No	No	(719) 390-2766	25	6	4.1	12.0%	6 (24.0%)	9 (36.0%)	10 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																								$49,089
Lake George Charter School	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	38874 Us Hwy 24	Lake George	80827	Park County	Park County School District No. Re-2	Yes	No	No	Yes	(719) 748-3911	139	12	11.3	35.3%	112 (80.6%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (13.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.3%)								(n/a)							41.2						31.3							20.6				$17,132
Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	33 N. Institute St.	Colorado Springs	80903	El Paso County	Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind	No	No	No	Yes	(719) 578-2100	160	35	4.5	67.5%	68 (42.5%)	15 (9.4%)	61 (38.1%)	10 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.8%)								(n/a)																								$00
Thomas MacLaren State Charter School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	1702 N Murray Blvd	Colorado Springs	80915	El Paso County	State Charter School Institute	Yes	No	No	No	(719) 313-4488	965	75	12.9	36.6%	605 (62.7%)	18 (1.9%)	237 (24.6%)	17 (1.8%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	83 (8.6%)								(n/a)	96.0	68.0	94.0	62.0	93.0	69.0	39.3	62.9	45.1	52.9	64.6	65.0	55.2	48.2	54.8	33.3	28.6	48.1	68.3	45.5	39.4	59.0	62.8	$11,528

Frequently Asked Questions about Merit Academy

What is the racial makeup of Merit Academy?

Students at Merit Academy are 87% White, 7% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic.

How many students attend Merit Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 363 students attended Merit Academy.

Is Merit Academy a good school?

Merit Academy ranks 230^th of 943 Colorado alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Merit Academy in?

Woodland Park School District No. Re-2

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Colorado Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.