Best Public Schools in Aztec, NM

Aztec, New Mexico is served by 7 schools — four elementary, one middle, and two high schools — all part of Aztec Municipal Schools, with a combined enrollment of 2,448 students in grades PK through 12. The elementary schools are Lydia Rippey Elementary (PK–3, 354 students), McCoy Avenue Elementary (PK–3, 313), Park Avenue Elementary (4–5, 317), and Mosaic Academy Charter (K–8, 179), the only charter school. Secondary options are C.V. Koogler Middle (6–8, 521) and two high schools: Aztec High (696) and the much smaller Vista Nueva High (68). Six of the seven schools report 100% free/reduced lunch; Mosaic reports 65.92%.

Mosaic Academy Charter stands out in science, with all-grade results above both district and state and an 8th-grade science score of 53.33% — far above Koogler's 17.42%. Lydia Rippey carries the strongest ranking history in the group (4 stars, 84th percentile in 2023-2024) and had 2024-2025 ELA and math well above district and state, though 2025-2026 data cover only 3rd grade. Park Avenue and Aztec High both show recent improvement: Park Avenue moved from the 14th to the 35th percentile, and Aztec High from the 15th to the 42nd percentile, though both remain 2-star schools. Koogler is the clearest current concern, with the lowest rank and the weakest math and science results.

Overall, the district trails New Mexico averages in ELA, math, and science, with the math gap most pronounced. Graduation rates at both high schools sit below the state's 80.6%, with Vista Nueva at 64.7%. Student-teacher ratios range from 12.7 at McCoy Avenue to 19.8 at Park Avenue, but they do not track simply with performance. Note that Vista Nueva's 2025-2026 test scores and many of Mosaic's grade-level results are suppressed for privacy — treat these as unknown rather than as evidence of weak performance.