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Las Cruces Public Schools


At a glance
49thof 87 New Mexico districts▼ 4
Better than 43% of New Mexico districts
505 South Main Suite 249
Las Cruces, NM 88001
·(575) 527-5800·All New Mexico district rankings →
Statewide performance 2017–2026
2026: better than 43.7% of districts
39
Schools
22,670
Students
4
5-star schools
Top rankedDesert Hills Elementary19th of 346 New Mexico elementary schools
▲
Biggest riser
Dona Ana Elementary up 46 spots statewide this year
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Smallest classes
Columbia Elementary 7 students per teacher
SchoolDigger ratings
5★
4★
3★
2★
1★
3 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)
Summary:

Las Cruces Public Schools serves 22,670 students across 39 schools — 25 elementary, 8 middle, and 6 high — in a high-poverty district where nearly every campus reports close to 100% free/reduced lunch eligibility, and where the district overall ranks 49th of 87 in New Mexico (44th percentile, 2 stars), a middling position statewide despite several very strong individual schools.

The top performers stand far above their peers: Arrowhead Park Early College High School is the clear flagship, with ELA 73.17%, math 41.46% (about 3.5× the district rate), science 62.18%, and a 97.3% graduation rate. Among elementaries, Desert Hills Elementary leads with ELA 75.31% and science 76.54%, and White Sands Elementary posts ELA 68.55%, math 59.75%, and science 72.55%. Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy tops middle schools (ELA 81.82%, science 84.38%), while Camino Real Middle is the strongest large middle school. Only 8 of 36 rated schools earn 4 or 5 stars, while 18 are 2 stars or lower.

Math is the district's most urgent weakness. High-school math proficiency is 11.6% districtwide against 12.53% statewide, and most comprehensive high schools fall below 7%, including Mayfield High at 4.67% — the lowest-ranked high school at 1 star. Rio Grande Preparatory Institute has a 46.4% graduation rate versus 80.2% district and 80.6% state, with all current test scores suppressed, so its performance is unknown. Lynn Middle and Valley View Elementary are the lowest-ranked at their levels. Because poverty rates are nearly uniform, these gaps are not explained by differing poverty levels.

Ranking:
Map legend
E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private




Districts nearby

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Mexico Public Education Department.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

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