Best Public Schools in Albuquerque, NM

The city of Albuquerque, New Mexico is home to 195 schools serving students from elementary through high school, all part of the Albuquerque Public Schools district. The district is ranked 78 out of 119 in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating there is room for improvement in student outcomes across the city.

Several schools stand out as exceptional performers, including Albuquerque Institute Of Math & Science, ranked #1 in the state with a 5-star rating and impressive proficiency rates of 94% in Language Arts, 90% in Mathematics, and 93% in Science. Other top-performing schools are Early College Academy, Coyote Willow Family School, and North Star Elementary, all earning 5-star ratings from SchoolDigger. In contrast, some schools like Rio Grande High and Atrisco Heritage Academy High School struggle, with proficiency rates well below the state average.

The data suggests a correlation between a school's socioeconomic status, as measured by free/reduced lunch rates, and its academic performance. Schools with higher percentages of students from low-income families tend to have lower test scores and rankings. Additionally, schools with more diverse racial compositions, such as Cottonwood Classical Prep and North Star Elementary, appear to perform better than those with more homogeneous student populations. The presence of high-performing charter schools, like Albuquerque Institute Of Math & Science, also highlights the potential for alternative educational models to succeed in the Albuquerque area.