Capitan Municipal Schools

Capitan Municipal Schools is a small New Mexico district with three schools serving students from prekindergarten through 12th grade: Capitan Elementary (PK–5, 207 students), Capitan Middle (6–8, 102 students), and Capitan High (9–12, 134 students), for a total of 443 students. The district is ranked 36th of 87 in the state, at the 59th percentile with 3 stars.

The elementary school is the academic anchor and the only school still rated 4 stars this year, a rating it has held for three years running. Its all-grades proficiency is well above both district and state in ELA (60.44% vs 51.91% district and 44.66% state) and math (43.96% vs 34.97% and 27.85%), with standout 4th-grade results of 75% in ELA and 54.17% in math. By contrast, the middle and high schools have slipped from 4 stars in 2023–24 to 3 stars, dropping to the 53rd and 56th percentiles respectively. Science is a bright spot in both: 8th-grade science is 43.75% and 11th-grade science is 43.24%, each roughly 9 points above state.

Math is the clearest weakness in the upper grades. Middle school math is 26.09% against 34.97% district-wide, and 8th-grade math is reported as under 20%. High school math in the reported all-grade and 11th-grade results is also under 20%, so the exact rate is unknown; the 11th-grade state comparison is 12.72%. Yet Capitan High graduates 90.4% of students versus 80.6% statewide, and has the lowest student/teacher ratio at 8.2. ELA also declines across grade bands, from strong at the elementary level to slightly below state in high school. Free/reduced lunch rates range from 28.36% to 33.33% across the three schools. The biggest takeaways: a strong elementary school, upper-grade math concerns, and declining middle and high school rankings since 2023–24.