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Widefield School District 3, Colorado

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Widefield School District 3
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Colorado Springs, Colorado
District details
Superintendent: Aaron Hoffman
# of school board members: 5
Website: Link

Widefield School District 3 is a school district in Colorado.

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Superintendent

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This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates.

Aaron Hoffman is the superintendent of Widefield School District 3. Hoffman began serving as superintendent in August 2024. His previous career experience includes working as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, and central administrator.[1]

Past superintendents

  • Kevin Duren was the superintendent of Widefield School District 3. Duren was appointed superintendent on June 1, 2021 and served until 2024. Duren 's previous career experience includes working in the district as the executive director of secondary student learning and math achievement, a principal, and a teacher.[2]
  • Scott Campbell was the superintendent of Widefield School District 3 from 2014 to 2021. Campbell's previous career experience includes working as a science teacher, a principal, and as the district's assistant superintendent.[3]}}

School board

The Widefield School District Board of Education consists of five members elected to four-year terms. Members are elected at large.[4]


Elections

See also: Widefield School District 3, Colorado, elections

Elections are held on a staggered basis in November of odd-numbered years.[5]

Three seats on the board were up for general election on November 4, 2025. The filing deadline for this election was August 29, 2025.

Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 187 school districts in 29 states in 2025. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 4,877,739 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.


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Public participation in board meetings

The Widefield School District 3 school board maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[6]

  • Any resident or employee of Widefield School District 3 is welcome to address the Board of Education at this time on items PERTAINING TO EDUCATION AND/OR THE OPERATION OF THE DISTRICT.
  • Any person wishing to address the board is requested to come to the microphone and, on being recognized, give their name and comment. Public comments shall be directed to the board, not members of the audience.
  • Comments directed to members of the audience shall be considered OUT OF ORDER.
  • Questions relating to employees of the district WILL NOT BE PERMITTED; such questions should be referred to the Superintendent at another time.
  • The total time allowed for public comment will be limited to 30 minutes, and it is requested that each person limit their comments to no more than five (5) minutes.
  • This is a professional meeting in which district business is conducted. Board Policy KFA, Public Conduct on School Property, prohibits profanity or verbally abusive language. Behavior in and outside the board room, and on all district property is a model for the students served in Widefield School District 3.

The Board of Education encourages citizens, including staff members and students, to attend board meetings, and it welcomes all views on subjects related to the school district. Questions related to the employees of the district will not be permitted; such questions should be referred to the superintendent at another time. It is requested that comments be limited to five minutes. Please contact the superintendent’s office in advance to receive a copy of the board meeting agenda. Agendas will be available in the boardroom during each meeting. To contact the superintendent, email superintendent@wsd3.org[7]

District map

Budget

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[8]

Revenue, 2021-2022
SOURCE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Federal: $15,198,000 $1,622 12%
Local: $37,788,000 $4,033 31%
State: $69,909,000 $7,462 57%
Total: $122,895,000 $13,117
Expenditures, 2021-2022
TYPE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Total Expenditures: $126,303,000 $13,480
Total Current Expenditures: $106,757,000 $11,394
Instructional Expenditures: $58,554,000 $6,249 46%
Student and Staff Support: $13,233,000 $1,412 10%
Administration: $15,702,000 $1,675 12%
Operations, Food Service, Other: $19,268,000 $2,056 15%
Total Capital Outlay: $14,472,000 $1,544
Construction: $10,804,000 $1,153
Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: $1,705,000 $181
Interest on Debt: $2,567,000 $273


Teacher salaries

The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.

Year Minimum Maximum
2023[9] $53,500 $67,250
2023[10] $46,000 $59,750
2022[11] $44,000 $56,100
2020[12] $38,000

Academic performance

Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[13]

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2021-2022 23 30-34 12 19 21-39 25 27
2020-2021 17 15-19 10-14 14 <50 15-19 20
2018-2019 31 30-34 21 27 20-29 28 36
2017-2018 31 35-39 19 28 20-29 30 36
2016-2017 30 30-34 19 26 30-39 28 34
2015-2016 30 25-29 22 26 20-29 28 34
2014-2015 24 25-29 15 20 20-29 25 28
2013-2014 52 55-59 39 47 40-49 52 58
2012-2013 52 55-59 38 48 45-49 51 58
2011-2012 53 55-59 42 50 50-59 52 57
2010-2011 84 85-89 80 82 70-79 85

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2021-2022 41 50-54 32 35 40-59 41 46
2020-2021 41 40-49 30-34 36 <50 40-44 46
2018-2019 48 60-64 43 43 40-49 49 52
2017-2018 44 50-54 37 41 30-39 42 47
2016-2017 41 40-44 33 38 30-39 41 44
2015-2016 35 45-49 28 30 11-19 36 39
2014-2015 35 40-44 29 28 20-29 35 39
2013-2014 66 65-69 60 61 50-59 67 70
2012-2013 66 70-74 62 60 60-64 64 69
2011-2012 65 60-64 62 61 60-69 62 69
2010-2011 90 90-94 89 89 80-89 91

The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2021-2022 71 >=50 80-89 75-79 >=50 65-69 65-69
2020-2021 79 >=80 85-89 75-79 >=50 75-79 75-79
2019-2020 80 >=80 80-84 75-79 PS 70-79 80-84
2018-2019 81 >=80 80-84 80-84 PS 70-74 81
2017-2018 81 >=50 85-89 75-79 PS 80-89 81
2016-2017 82 >=80 80-84 80-84 >=50 80-89 82
2015-2016 80 >=80 85-89 75-79 >=50 70-79 79
2014-2015 78 >=80 80-84 75-79 >=50 80-89 77
2013-2014 81 >=80 80-84 85-89 >=50 70-79 78
2012-2013 81 >=50 75-79 80-84 >=50 70-79 83
2011-2012 79 >=50 80-84 75-79 <50 70-79 79
2010-2011 82 60-79 75-79 85-89 >=50 83


Students

Year Enrollment Year-to-year change (%)
2023-2024 9,377 -2.5
2022-2023 9,612 2.5
2021-2022 9,369 2.1
2020-2021 9,169 -5.5
2019-2020 9,669 0.8
2018-2019 9,592 -1.1
2017-2018 9,695 0.6
2016-2017 9,634 2.1
2015-2016 9,435 1.6
2014-2015 9,283 -0.9
2013-2014 9,364 0.7
2012-2013 9,297 1.2
2011-2012 9,184 2.4
2010-2011 8,963 1.2
2009-2010 8,851 3.9
2008-2009 8,504 0.3
2007-2008 8,481 -0.6
2006-2007 8,533 -0.2
2005-2006 8,551 0.5
2004-2005 8,508 0.4
2003-2004 8,475 -1.5
2002-2003 8,606 -0.8
2001-2002 8,671 0.4
2000-2001 8,639 2.0
1999-2000 8,468 0.0
Racial Demographics, 2023-2024
RACE Widefield School District 3 (%) Colorado K-12 STUDENTS (%)
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.5 0.6
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander 1.4 3.3
Black 9.4 4.6
Hispanic 34.1 35.9
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 1.3 0.3
Two or More Races 11.1 5.3
White 42.3 49.9

Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


Staff

As of the 2023-2024 school year, Widefield School District 3 had 601.44 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 15.59.

Teachers, 2023-2024 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF TEACHERS
Prekindergarten: 19.86
Kindergarten: 47.94
Elementary: 273.99
Secondary: 259.65
Total: 601.44

Widefield School District 3 employed 15.92 district administrators and 34.10 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.

Administrators, 2023-2024 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS
District Administrators: 15.92
District Administrative Support: 56.20
School Administrators: 34.10
School Administrative Support: 45.82
Other staff, 2023-2024 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF
Instructional Aides: 158.11
Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: 28.08
Total Guidance Counselors: 29.14
Elementary Guidance Counselors: 7.97
Secondary Guidance Counselors: 19.17
Librarians/Media Specialists: 7.11
Library/Media Support: 19.86
Student Support Services: 97.61
Other Support Services: 204.44


Schools

The Widefield School District 3 operates 18 schools. They are listed below in alphabetical order.
List of schools
SCHOOL NAMENUMBER OF STUDENTSGRADES
Discovery High School629-12
French Elementary School514KG-5
Grand Mountain School1,041PK-8
James Madison Charter Academy School104KG-8
Janitell Junior High School6486-8
Martin Luther King Jr Elementary School516KG-5
Mesa Ridge High School1,2559-12
Pinello Elementary School299KG-5
Sproul Junior High School5106-8
Sunrise Elementary School537KG-5
Talbott Steam Innovation School327KG-5
The Haven School238KG-12
Venetucci Elementary School279KG-5
Watson Junior High School5056-8
Webster Elementary School568KG-5
Widefield District 3 Preschool383PK-PK
Widefield Elementary School Of The Arts352KG-5
Widefield High School1,2399-12

Contact information

Widefield School District 3 logo 2.png
Widefield School District 3
1820 Main St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80911
Phone: 719-391-3000


About school boards

Education legislation in Colorado

Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.

See also

Colorado School Board Elections News and Analysis
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External links

Footnotes

  1. Widefield School District 3, "Meet Aaron Hoffman - New Superintendent," accessed April 25, 2025
  2. Widefield School District 3, "Board Appoints New Superintendent," accessed April 23, 2021
  3. The Colorado Springs Gazette, "Campbell to be superintendent in Widefield in July," August 28, 2013
  4. Widefield School District 3, "Board of Education/Policies," accessed April 23, 2021
  5. LexisNexis: Colorado Legal Resources, "C.R.S. 22-31-104," accessed April 9, 2021
  6. Widefield School District 3, "Board of Education," accessed April 25, 2025
  7. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  8. National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
  9. Widefield School District 3, "WIDEFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT 3 Non-Administrative Licensed Personnel Salary," accessed April 25, 2025
  10. Widefield School District 3, "WIDEFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT 3 Non-Administrative Licensed Personnel Salary," accessed April 25, 2025
  11. Widefield School District 3, "WIDEFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT 3 Non-Administrative Licensed Personnel Salary," accessed April 25, 2025
  12. Google Drive, "Widefield School District 3 Teacher & Other Non-Administrative Licensed Personnel Salary," accessed April 23, 2021
  13. U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021