Best Public Schools in Gallup, NM

Gallup, New Mexico has 17 schools serving pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, with about 8,927 students enrolled across 8 elementary, 3 middle, 5 high, and 1 alternative school. Fourteen of these belong to Gallup-McKinley City Schools — roughly 7,935 students, or about 89% of the city's total — while Hozho Academy, Middle College High School Charter - Gallup, and Six Directions Indigenous School operate outside the district. The district itself ranks 60th of 87 in New Mexico.

Performance varies enormously from school to school. Red Rock Elementary is the clearest standout: 5 stars, 90th percentile, with language arts at 68.89%, math at 55.56%, and 5th-grade science at 57.14% — far above state averages. Jefferson Elementary (4 stars, 76th percentile) and Indian Hills Elementary (4 stars, 71st percentile) follow, then Twin Lakes Elementary. Among middle schools, Gallup Middle leads with ELA of 54.26% and 8th-grade science of 43.27%, even though its math is near the state average. At the high school level, Middle College High School Charter - Gallup shows strong 11th-grade science (54.76%) and a 91.4% graduation rate, and Miyamura High School graduates 83.5%. At the other end, Gallup High, Gallup Central Alternative, and Stagecoach Elementary rank near the bottom.

High poverty does not automatically mean low performance here — Red Rock and Jefferson both have free/reduced lunch rates above 83% yet outperform the state. Elementary schools generally post the strongest results, while high school ELA and math are pressure points across the city. Keep in mind that many scores are suppressed or reported as bounds (such as "< 20%") to protect student privacy, including all current test scores at Six Directions Indigenous School.