Almost every real estate page about Monument says the same thing: Lewis-Palmer District 38 is "Accredited with Distinction."
That is no longer accurate, and it is worth knowing before you make a six- or seven-figure decision based on it.
Here is the current picture, the boundary most buyers get wrong, and what that boundary costs in actual dollars.
The accreditation situation, accurately
Colorado's Department of Education rates districts on a performance framework, with "Accredited with Distinction" as the top tier.
Lewis-Palmer D38 held Accredited with Distinction every year from 2009 through 2024. It was one of a small minority of Colorado districts to do so — in 2024 the district noted only about 9% of districts statewide reached that level.
D38 is not on the state's 2025 Accredited with Distinction list. Its current accreditation rating is "Accredited," the tier below.
Academy District 20 is on the 2025 list.
I want to be careful about what this does and does not mean. One year of rating movement is not a verdict on a district, and D38 remains genuinely strong by every other measure below. But if you are choosing a house partly on the strength of a claim, the claim should be current. Most Monument real estate content has not caught up.
Lewis-Palmer District 38 by the numbers
D38 serves about 6,405 students across ten schools and ranks roughly #3 of 179 Colorado districts, in the top 5%. District graduation rate is about 91%.
Elementary schools (PreK–6 — note the unusual K-6 configuration):
- Palmer Lake Elementary
- Lewis-Palmer Elementary (in Woodmoor)
- Ray E. Kilmer Elementary
- Prairie Winds Elementary
- Bear Creek Elementary
Middle school (7–8): Lewis-Palmer Middle School, the district's only middle school.
High schools (9–12):
Lewis-Palmer High School — about 1,171 students. Ranked roughly #82 of 1,748 Colorado high schools, top 5%. Math proficiency 59% against a state average of 33%; reading 80% against 45%. Graduation rate 92%. Mascot the Rangers.
Palmer Ridge High School — opened August 2008 with about 530 students to relieve crowding at Lewis-Palmer, now around 1,066. Ranked roughly #91 of 1,748, top 10%. Math 57%, reading 78%, graduation rate 91%. Twenty AP courses plus partnerships with Pikes Peak Community College. At construction it was the largest public geothermal project in Colorado.
The newest asset: D38 opened a Career and Innovation Center in Monument in September 2025 — advanced manufacturing, welding, homebuilding, electronics, aerospace engineering, and a transitions program for students aged 18 to 21 with special needs. It launched with 175 students across 10 sections and projects 320 students across 14 sections for 2026–27. It houses the only full-size robotics field in the state and Colorado's first high school electronics engineering and manufacturing course.
That is a serious facility, and it is a better argument for D38 than a stale accreditation line.
The boundary buyers get wrong
Gleneagle is in Academy District 20, not Lewis-Palmer D38.
This trips up a remarkable number of people, including some published neighborhood guides that list Gleneagle as D38 while simultaneously naming a D20 elementary school. Gleneagle also sits in zip code 80921 rather than Monument's 80132, which is a useful tell.
The D20 feeder pattern for Gleneagle runs Antelope Trails Elementary → Discovery Canyon Campus Middle → Discovery Canyon Campus High.
Discovery Canyon Campus is worth understanding on its own terms. It is a PreK–12 campus on North Gate Boulevard that opened in 2005 and has been an International Baccalaureate World School since 2008, offering the Primary Years, Middle Years, Career-related and Diploma programmes. That IB continuum is D20's clearest differentiator, and for some families it is the reason to choose Gleneagle over Monument proper.
Academy D20 also covers much of the Black Forest area and a small portion of Monument itself.
What the boundary costs
Here is the part nobody frames as a money question.
Lewis-Palmer D38 levies 36.000 mills. Academy D20 levies 45.459 mills. That is a difference of 9.459 mills.
Colorado assesses residential property at 7.05% of actual value for school district levies for tax years 2024 through 2027.
On a $750,000 home, school assessed value is $52,875:
- D38 at 36.000 mills: about $1,903 per year
- D20 at 45.459 mills: about $2,404 per year
A difference of roughly $500 a year. On a $1,000,000 home it is closer to $667.
That is not an argument against D20 — you are buying into a district that currently holds the higher state rating and runs an IB continuum. It is an argument for knowing which side of the line you are on before you write the offer, because it is a permanent line item either way.
Feeder patterns by neighborhood
These come from brokerage and district sources. Confirm by parcel address, not subdivision name.
| Neighborhood | Elementary | Middle | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodmoor | Lewis-Palmer | Lewis-Palmer Middle | Lewis-Palmer or Palmer Ridge |
| Jackson Creek | Bear Creek | Lewis-Palmer Middle | Lewis-Palmer |
| Promontory Pointe | Bear Creek | Lewis-Palmer Middle | Palmer Ridge |
| Red Rock Ranch | Palmer Lake | Lewis-Palmer Middle | Palmer Ridge |
| Higby Estates | Bear Creek | Lewis-Palmer Middle | Lewis-Palmer |
| Bent Tree | Kilmer | Lewis-Palmer Middle | Lewis-Palmer |
| Gleneagle | Antelope Trails (D20) | Discovery Canyon (D20) | Discovery Canyon (D20) |
Note that Woodmoor splits between the two high schools depending on where in the community you are, and that Red Rock Ranch on the west side feeds Palmer Lake Elementary rather than the east-side schools.
Boundaries get redrawn. Monument has grown about 33% in five years, and attendance areas move with that growth. Verify the current boundary for a specific address directly with the district. Listing sheets and school-rating sites are the most commonly out-of-date documents in real estate.
Charter and private options
Monument Academy is the only charter in D38. Founded in 1996, it now enrolls about 1,165 students across two campuses: a West Campus in Monument for elementary, and an East Campus in Colorado Springs for middle and high school. The high school opened in August 2020. It is tuition-free public school of choice and also runs preschool and homeschool programs.
Private options in Monument proper are limited to two: St. Peter Catholic School (K–8, about 172 students) and Hope Montessori Academy (PreK–K, about 52 students).
Here is a statistic that says more than any ranking: private schools serve about 4% of Monument's K-12 students, against roughly 8% statewide. In a town with this income profile, that is a meaningful vote of confidence in the public system.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lewis-Palmer D38 Accredited with Distinction?
Not currently. D38 held that rating every year from 2009 through 2024 but is not on the state's 2025 Accredited with Distinction list; its current rating is Accredited. Academy District 20 is on the 2025 list.
What school district is Monument, CO in?
Most of Monument and Palmer Lake are in Lewis-Palmer School District 38. Gleneagle, much of Black Forest, and a small portion of Monument are in Academy School District 20.
Which is better, Lewis-Palmer D38 or Academy D20?
Both are strong. D38 ranks in the top 5% of Colorado districts with two high schools in the top 10% statewide and a new Career and Innovation Center. D20 currently holds the higher state accreditation and offers an IB continuum at Discovery Canyon Campus. D20 also levies about 9.5 more mills, roughly $500 more per year on a $750,000 home.
What high school does Woodmoor feed into?
Woodmoor students attend Lewis-Palmer Middle School, then either Lewis-Palmer High School or Palmer Ridge High School depending on the specific address. Verify with the district.
Is Gleneagle in Lewis-Palmer D38?
No. Gleneagle is in Academy District 20, feeding Antelope Trails Elementary and Discovery Canyon Campus. Some published guides get this wrong.
Buying around a school boundary?
School boundaries are the single most common source of bad information in real estate listings, and in Monument the line also carries a tax consequence. Before you write an offer, it is worth ten minutes to confirm both.
Contact me and I will verify the district, feeder pattern and tax authorities for any address you are considering. You can also browse Monument homes for sale or read our guide to living in Monument and the Monument metro district and property tax guide. Selling? Get a free home value report.
School accreditation ratings, boundaries and mill levies change. Verify current information with Lewis-Palmer District 38, Academy District 20 and the El Paso County Assessor before relying on it.