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Tierra Amarilla Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-6

Summary

Tierra Amarilla Elementary is a small public elementary school serving grades PK-6 in the rural town of Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico. With just 94 students, the school is part of the Chama Valley school district, which is ranked 124 out of 128 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Tierra Amarilla Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom half of New Mexico elementary schools, with its ranking declining from 121 out of 398 schools in 2011-2012 to 389 out of 413 schools in 2023-2024. The school's academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics, is significantly below the state averages. In 2022-2023, only 28% of students were proficient in ELA, compared to the state average of 38%, and only 14% were proficient in Mathematics, compared to the state average of 24%. When compared to the nearby Chama Elementary school, Tierra Amarilla Elementary performs slightly better in ELA, but the difference is not substantial.

Tierra Amarilla Elementary has a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 75.53% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2023-2024. The school has a diverse student population, with a majority of Hispanic students and a smaller percentage of White students. Interestingly, Tierra Amarilla Elementary has a relatively high ranking (53 out of 203 schools) for its performance with English Language Learner (ELL) students, suggesting that the school may be providing effective support for this population. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 9.5 to 14 students per teacher over the past few years, which is lower than the nearby Chama Elementary.

Students ?

10.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,189

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

Bulding 170 State Rd 531
Tierra Amarilla, NM 87575

(575) 588-7285

District: Chama Valley

Students who attend Tierra Amarilla Elementary usually attend:

High:

Escalante Middle/High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

86.8%

White:

6.6%

Two or more races:

3.9%

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 72nd percentile in 2011 → 6th in 2024

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the New Mexico average (21% vs 44% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 66 percentile points since 2011

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school21%

District avg21%

New Mexico avg44%

Not ranked this year

Tierra Amarilla Elementary did not have enough recent test-score data to be ranked. Check the trend below for past years.

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2024	9.4	389 of 413	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	26.9	328 of 435	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.7	269 of 420	36.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.7	204 of 383	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2016	45.9	195 of 410	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2015	31.0	298 of 421	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	52.2	194 of 442	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	61.0	139 of 412	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	65.8	121 of 398	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2011	67.0	113 of 402	71.9%	★★★★☆
2010	59.1	155 of 419	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2009	66.4	114 of 411	72.3%	★★★★☆
2008	45.9	213 of 405	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2007	61.6	134 of 398	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2006	56.9	153 of 390	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2005	66.5	104 of 389	73.3%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2022	61.1	53 of 203	73.9%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2024	12.8	358 of 398	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	29.0	286 of 390	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	34.8	230 of 395	41.8%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2024	11.8	360 of 384	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	23.2	325 of 395	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.6	240 of 389	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.9	150 of 329	54.4%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2023	30.1	310 of 426	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	37.5	221 of 410	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	50.5	155 of 356	56.5%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2023	19.2	357 of 414	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2023	20.3	345 of 413	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2022)74th percentile+38 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2023)27th percentile+3 vs school

White (2023)16th percentile-8 vs school

Male (2023)14th percentile-11 vs school

Female (2024)10th percentile+4 vs school

Hispanic (2024)6th percentile~ school

★

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Schools Near Tierra Amarilla Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				NM-MSSA English Language Arts (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	NM-MSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Total
Tierra Amarilla Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	Bulding 170 State Rd 531	Tierra Amarilla	87575	Rio Arriba County	Chama Valley	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 588-7285	76	8	10.1	100.0%	5 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (86.8%)	1 (1.3%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.9%)								(n/a)	20.9	$14,189
Chama Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	182 North Pine Ave	Chama	87520	Rio Arriba County	Chama Valley	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 588-7285	52	9	5.5	100.0%	1 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (92.3%)	1 (1.9%)	1 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)								(n/a)		$14,189

Frequently Asked Questions about Tierra Amarilla Elementary

What schools do graduates of Tierra Amarilla Elementary attend?

Students who attend Tierra Amarilla Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Escalante Middle/High School

What is the racial makeup of Tierra Amarilla Elementary?

Students at Tierra Amarilla Elementary are 87% Hispanic, 7% White, 4% Two or more races, 1% Asian, 1% American Indian.

What district is Tierra Amarilla Elementary in?

Chama Valley

How many students attend Tierra Amarilla Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 76 students attended Tierra Amarilla Elementary.

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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.