Challenge To Excellence Charter School

16995 EAST CARLSON DRIVE

School District

Douglas County Re 1
Grade

K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:17
Type

charter

School Map for Douglas County Re 1 School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 26, 2024

I’ve been so impressed with this school! The quick communication, the ease of working with the staff to find what works best for our children, the transparency around policies and expectations, etc., it’s been a great experience for our children! With the new building being built, I think it’ll be even better next year and the years to come!
Submitted by other on July 01, 2024

9 Years of Hell is my experience.
Submitted by parent on March 24, 2024

Great school and staff highly recommend lot of activities
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2023

This school has is on a downward trajectory. The teachers for the most part play educational youtube videos in class, and then spend the entire time on their phone. And then they complain about kids sneaking in phones in class. This is particularly true of fifth grade teachers. What happened to a teacher actually delivering instruction to students?
Submitted by parent on April 21, 2021

I've had two children graduated from C2E and my youngest is currently finishing elementary school. The education my children receives from C2E is top-notch. They really prepare students with real life education and hands on experience. My oldest is now studying Electrical Engineering at Colorado School of Mines and my middle child is now at a public charter high school. If your child interest is in STEM, this is the best school to go.
Submitted by parent on March 13, 2018

Excellent teachers. Very capable and supportive principal and Asst. principal
Submitted by parent on May 23, 2017

This school is tuition free, but has the feel of a private school. The math program is exceptional! The teachers and principal are top notch. We moved to this school a few years ago from our neighborhood school - the difference is night and day. My children were bored at school and now are motivated and excelling. Well done C2E!
Submitted by parent on November 25, 2015

This school is going downhill. My kids have been here 5 years; I've watched it decline. The technology integration leaves much to be desired. It is not used in an meaningful, productive way. Most used to make life easier for the teachers. They all use different systems - some teachers use more than one, in fact. So kids are all over the web trying to figure out what they are supposed to do. Math is submitted on a LMS not meant for math; that is pretty cumbersome (typing in mathematical language into a "word" type format). One math teacher simply video tapes himself reading the math book. Kids have to watch the "reading" before starting their homework. They call this a reverse classroom, but it is not at because both learning and homework happen at home. Since the work is never checked, when the answers are submitted online, one never knows if kids are missing problems due to a lack of understanding or careless error. The iReady is a drudge. Silly attempts at humor that both bore and frustrate the kids because it wastes time. Some of the lessons are decent. It is assigned as homework and never processed (and can take 2 plus hours a week). Plus, if they fail a lesson, kids just listen to the same exact script again and take the test. If they fail it again, there is no one to step in and find out what the child needs or where they are stuck. They just move on to something else. Discovery Ed is a joke, too. While some of the content within the text is decent, the design of the exercises correlating to content is poor and messy. It is often nonsensical and does not fit seamlessly with content. In essence, it is teaching kids to stretch their imaginations to answer questions - and I don't mean in a good way. It is substituting "making things up" for critical thinking. But since there is virtually no feedback on the continuous work they do online, kids may or may not hit actually meet the objectives. Bad curriculum design and teachers not modifying the assignments to help. Plus, a lot of it is developmentally inappropriate. Teachers believe they give the "handbook amount of homework". They would be correct if they were assigning it to an adult. Many forget that the average (even above average) student takes much longer to complete EVERYTHING! "Individualized Education" - just talk. Not enough teaching.
Submitted by parent on October 27, 2015

C2E has been an amazing school for our kids over the past 5 years. The teachers are supportive and engaged. it is obvious that the students are cared about and there is an incredible level of parental involvement. Our kids are excelling not only academically but socially and emotionally as well. We have never regretted our decision to be a part of the C2E family!
Submitted by student on October 07, 2015

I think the teachers let technology do too much of the teaching now. I don't like all the different websites and places to check to try to figure out what I am supposed to do. It would be way better if all the teachers used the same system because I think that is what a high tech school would do to make technology better for the kids. I also don't like the extra work to recopy answers for work already done just to turn it in. It adds time to everything we do. The teachers are very nice though. The homework is too much some years but just right in other years.
Submitted by student on September 22, 2015

I was a student at this school since 2nd grade, and just graduated from 8th grade this year. I can tell you that C2E has come a long way, and is overall an amazing school. I am overly prepared for my high school. In my opinion, there was very less homework in elementary, and there were not as great teachers, but it may have changed now. However, the middle school curriculums are very strong and prepare very well for high school. Also, the technology integration in the school is great, and makes life so much easier, and us students got to learn in more forms. Overall, C2E is a great school, and lives up to its titles of 'Premier', 'Technology', and 'Future Ready'.
Submitted by parent on November 21, 2014

Overall, this is a good school. However, to put this blatantly, nobody in authority here cares at all about subjects that aren't math, technology, and science. The music program (if it even deserves that title) is a joke, and then there's the matter of English here at this school. My child has been here since kindergarten and is currently in 8th grade, so it's safe to say that we have a lot of experience. Since the administrative office pays no attention to these subject, the authority falls into the teacher's hands. Sometimes they do an excellent job, as evidenced by the current 7th and 8th grade social studies teacher. However, my son comes home complaining about his English class nearly every day. He says that the students don't learn anything, and I would have to agree. It seems like the students learn nothing. They are just assigned work about things that they already know how to do, and have known how to do since elementary school. The teacher is incredibly lazy. He also seems unorganized. But if math, science, and technology are all you care about, it might be a good place to send your kids.
Submitted by parent on June 21, 2014

Challenge to Excellence is a school that you should consider looking at before making that final decision of your "school of choice" when it comes to academics and compassion. I love the fact that teachers really care about the needs of their students and expect them to actually DO their work. Our older children thank us for sending them to C2E because they were well prepared for high school. It was the teachers who made them accountable and did go that extra mile to help and encourage them. We have attended private schools in the past and this school offers a great education for not having to pay tuition. The family atmosphere is what my wife and I love about this school! There is no perfect school that comes with all the bells and whistles each family wants, but Challenge to Excellence comes real close to being that perfect school by fitting the needs of all of our children. Our children who have gone on to high school thank you for all that you have done to prepare them for the future. Thank you, C2E, for all that you have done for our family and will continue to do for others. We will miss you when our last ones graduate from 8th grade and move on to high school.
Submitted by parent on May 11, 2014

Not a great school is your child has any learning problems. They need more education with their staff in learning lab. Stick with your neighborhood school if your child is on any IEP's. We may leave our kids here, maybe not-on the fence! If your children has no learning issues, it is a great school!
Submitted by parent on May 11, 2014

Our family really loves this school. We live in CCSD and pulled our kids out because of Common Core and the lack of real classroom work. Our kids are challenged every day now and we don't have to supplement anymore. We love the uniforms as well and the longer days. I'm not crazy about the communication, or lack thereof, between teachers and parents as well as administration and parents. That could be better. I wished administration asked for feedback on teachers.
Submitted by parent on October 28, 2013

We absolutely love this school. Our children have been extremely happy and motivated since moving from BFH. The staff does a fantastic job and it was the best choice we made.
Submitted by parent on October 27, 2013

We are so happy with this school! The teachers are wonderful, so dedicated and enthusiastic. The curriculum is challenging for students of all levels. The uniforms are an added bonus and I am very happy that our children can attend the school through the 8th grade (notably, the Colorado Department of Education's "schoolview.org" rates Challenge to Excellence as the top middle school in DCSD for achievement and growth). We have a bit of a drive, so we have to leave our house fairly early. Our daughters are up and excited to go to school! So thrilled with C2E!
Submitted by other on May 27, 2013

Personally, I thought this was an ok school. It was average. But, ever since the sixth grade it went down hill. You just get pounded with assignments and projects like no tomorrow. Many kids are stressing out and need more time on assignments. I mean it's not college yet, the teachers need to engage their students to learn and enjoy stuff, not just learn it. My philophosy is you have to engage the student in order to learn. As much as the teachers try, they don't succeed at teaching children and engaging them. They need to improve engagement and learning system. They really need to stop piling work on students and space things out and not cram it, which disappoints me. If you hate end of the year stress and frustration for your child, I do not recommend this school
Submitted by parent on November 06, 2012

I was happy with thisC2E originally as my child attended this school for a few early years. Over time, it seemed that the teachers did not put in the effort, and I definitely think that some teachers care more than others. It wasn't until we got to a new school that I discovered that some of the fundamentals were never taught at this school. Overall, not a great school, but not terrible either - Just very average. Looking at the newness of the building, and the wait list to get in is very deceiving as there are much better public schools in Douglas County.