John Baker Elementary

John Baker Elementary is a K–5 school with 404 students at 12015-B Tivoli St NE in northeast Albuquerque (87111), part of Albuquerque Public Schools. It is one of the larger elementary schools in its immediate area.

John Baker's results look nothing like its district's. The school ranks 40th of 346 New Mexico elementary schools (88th percentile, 4 stars) — roughly the top 12% of the state — while the district sits at 55th of 87 (37th percentile, 2 stars). In reading, 64.22% of students are proficient versus 44.59% districtwide and 44.66% statewide; in math, 50.49% versus 27.69% districtwide. That math figure is nearly double the district average. Among eleven nearby schools, John Baker ranks fourth, clustered with Onate just ahead and Osuna just behind, while two neighbors — S. Y. Jackson and Georgia O'Keeffe — are both 97th-percentile, 5-star schools about 14–15 points ahead. Fourth grade is the standout, with 75% proficient in reading; third grade is the relative soft spot.

The ten-year trend shows a long slide from the mid-2010s, a trough at 74th percentile in 2021–22, then a strong recovery to 92nd percentile in 2024–25 and 88th in 2025–26. Most student groups perform well above state norms, including Hispanic (86th percentile), White (87th), and English learners (80th in 2023–24). The clear weak spot is special education, which ranked 48th percentile (2 stars) in 2023–24 — three straight years of improvement but about 40 percentile points below the school overall. Note that the free/reduced-lunch rate jumped from 35.89% to 99.01% within two years while every nearby school also hit 99–100%, which points to a reporting change rather than a sudden shift.