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East Picacho Elementary

Q: Is East Picacho Elementary a good school?

East Picacho Elementary ranks 91 st of 346 New Mexico elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Q: How many students attend East Picacho Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 460 students attended East Picacho Elementary.

Q: What is the racial makeup of East Picacho Elementary?

Students at East Picacho Elementary are 77% Hispanic, 22% White.

Q: What schools do graduates of East Picacho Elementary attend?

Students who attend East Picacho Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Picacho Middle High : Arrowhead Park Early College High School High : Mayfield High

Public Grades PK, KG-5

91^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 346 New Mexico Elementary Schools

Better than 74% of New Mexico elementary schools

Summary

East Picacho Elementary is a PK–5 public school at 4450 North Valley Dr in Las Cruces, NM, serving 460 students as part of Las Cruces Public Schools. It is a 4-star, top-quartile school: ranked 91st of 346 elementary schools statewide (74th percentile) in 2025-26 and 84th of 345 (76th percentile) in 2024-25, roughly 30 percentile points above its own district’s standing. Nearly all students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds—essentially 100% free/reduced lunch in each of the last three reported years—yet the school outperforms most district peers by wide margins.

In 2025-26, language arts proficiency was 54.11% versus 44.73% district and 43.34% state; math was 37.66% versus 24.50% district and 25.54% state. The math edge over the district is +13.2 points, larger than the +9.4-point ELA edge, and math proficiency is roughly 1.5× the district rate. The school’s ranking surge came largely from a sustained ELA turnaround: all-grades ELA moved from 36% in 2023-24 to 53.42% in 2024-25 and 55.11% in 2025-26. That improvement has held, making the 4-star standing look durable rather than a one-year spike. Fourth-grade ELA is the strongest cell at 61.73%. The clearest internal soft spot is fifth-grade ELA at 45.71%, the only grade-level metric below the district average (46.48%), though it still beats the state.

Among nearby district schools, East Picacho leads the group in both reading and math. Dona Ana Elementary is a near-tie in ELA (54.03% vs. 54.11%), but East Picacho’s +3.8-point math edge and higher overall rank (91st vs. 116th) put it on top. Columbia Elementary, only 1.81 miles away, has dramatically smaller classes (ratio 7.0) yet lands at 36th percentile with 19.83% math proficiency. Jornada Elementary, Fairacres Elementary, Alameda Elementary, Loma Heights Elementary, Booker T. Washington, and Mac Arthur Elementary all post lower proficiency, and most sit below the state math average. Class size and enrollment do not explain the gap: East Picacho is the largest school in the group (460 students) with a mid-pack ratio (12.2). A widening gap between male and female students is worth monitoring, as is whether the school can sustain its top-quartile results for a third year.

460

Students ?

12.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,519

Per pupil spending ?

42.0%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

All students receive free meals (Community Eligibility, 2024-25)

All students in New Mexico receive free school meals.

4450 North Valley Dr
Las Cruces, NM 88001

(575) 527-9516

District: Las Cruces Public Schools

Students who attend East Picacho Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Picacho Middle
High:	Arrowhead Park Early College High School
	Mayfield High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

76.5%

White:

22.4%

American Indian:

0.4%

See top rated New Mexico elementary schools

Compare East Picacho Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 63rd percentile in 2015 → 74th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the New Mexico average (46% vs 36% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 11 percentile points since 2015

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Las Cruces Public Schools

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school46%

District avg37%

New Mexico avg36%

91^st of 346

New Mexico public elementary schools ?

Top 26%▲ up 17 pts since 2016

From top 43% (2016) to top 26% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of New Mexico Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 23Elementary Schools in the Las Cruces Public Schools

49^th of 87Las Cruces Public Schools among New Mexico districts

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
2026	63.1	91 of 346	73.7%	★★★★☆
2025	66.6	84 of 345	75.7%	★★★★☆
2024	50.0	172 of 413	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.6	168 of 435	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.2	165 of 420	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	36.4	244 of 396	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.4	170 of 383	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	50.0	158 of 374	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2016	49.9	177 of 410	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2015	54.1	155 of 421	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2014	49.5	217 of 442	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2013	47.6	203 of 412	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2012	51.6	182 of 398	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2011	42.9	230 of 402	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2010	54.3	175 of 419	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2009	58.9	154 of 411	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2008	61.1	129 of 405	68.1%	★★★☆☆
2007	58.7	153 of 398	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2006	69.6	98 of 390	74.9%	★★★★☆
2005	71.5	88 of 389	77.4%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2024	44.0	125 of 223	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.4	152 of 191	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	56.9	65 of 203	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	54.1	27 of 83	67.5%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	43.4	134 of 252	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.3	196 of 398	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	52.9	171 of 390	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	45.1	167 of 395	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	27.1	262 of 343	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	45.2	173 of 339	49.0%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	64.5	69 of 273	74.7%	★★★★☆
2025	51.3	108 of 255	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	34.4	233 of 384	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.5	205 of 395	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	30.8	244 of 389	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	33.4	218 of 320	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	43.6	182 of 329	44.7%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	49.6	111 of 256	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	68.1	68 of 325	79.1%	★★★★☆
2024	49.0	162 of 356	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.7	126 of 426	70.4%	★★★★☆
2022	57.7	105 of 410	74.4%	★★★★☆
2019	45.7	188 of 361	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	59.2	118 of 356	66.9%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	58.6	79 of 251	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.4	159 of 397	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.4	159 of 414	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.6	174 of 392	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	41.7	176 of 337	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	47.4	148 of 333	55.6%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2023	28.7	140 of 165	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	55.6	21 of 47	55.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	61.1	92 of 304	69.7%	★★★★☆
2025	61.5	92 of 304	69.7%	★★★★☆
2024	47.7	157 of 339	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.2	179 of 413	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	73.8	54 of 325	83.4%	★★★★☆
2019	34.6	141 of 199	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	37.6	126 of 187	32.6%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Hispanic (2026)75th percentile~ school

White (2026)70th percentile-4 vs school

Male (2026)69th percentile-5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)57th percentile-17 vs school

Female (2026)47th percentile-27 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)44th percentile-14 vs school

Special Education (2023)15th percentile-46 vs school

By subject vs New Mexico (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts55%+10 vs state

Science39%+6 vs state

Mathematics38%+10 vs state

★

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Schools Near East Picacho Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				NM-ASR Science (2026)			NM-MSSA English Language Arts (2026)							NM-MSSA Mathematics (2026)							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	Directly certified (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NM-ASR Science 5th Grade	NM-ASR Science 8th Grade	NM-ASR Science All Grades	NM-MSSA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	NM-MSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	NM-MSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	NM-MSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	NM-MSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	NM-MSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	NM-MSSA English Language Arts All Grades	NM-MSSA Mathematics 3rd Grade	NM-MSSA Mathematics 4th Grade	NM-MSSA Mathematics 5th Grade	NM-MSSA Mathematics 6th Grade	NM-MSSA Mathematics 7th Grade	NM-MSSA Mathematics 8th Grade	NM-MSSA Mathematics All Grades	Total
East Picacho Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4450 North Valley Dr	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9516	460	38	12.2	42.0%	103 (22.4%)	1 (0.2%)	352 (76.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	63.1	91^st of 346 public elementary schools	73.7%		66.6	84^th of 345 public elementary schools	75.7%	7	38.6			56.8	61.7	45.7				55.1	36.5	38.3	40.0				38.2	$9,519
Columbia Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4555 Elks Dr	Las Cruces	88005	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-1561	182	26	7.0	55.5%	12 (6.6%)	6 (3.3%)	163 (89.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	34.1	221^st of 346 public elementary schools	36.1%		26.1	250^th of 345 public elementary schools	27.5%	29	17.6			63.2	55.7	25.0				48.7	29.0	14.8	15.3				19.5	$10,474
Dona Ana Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5551 Camino De Flores	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9506	372	31	12.1	53.0%	28 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	342 (91.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57	116^th of 346 public elementary schools	66.5%		46.1	162^nd of 345 public elementary schools	53.0%	46	41.9			62.5	46.9	55.8				54.0	34.4	24.5	44.2				33.9	$11,823
Raices Del Saber Xinachtli Community	Public, Charter	K-5	2211 North Valley Drive	Las Cruces	88007	Doña Ana County	Raices Del Saber Xinachtli Community	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 571-2177	122	12	9.9	25.4%	5 (4.1%)	3 (2.5%)	112 (91.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)				44.4	58.3					45.5							< 20%
Jornada Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3400 Elks Dr	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9536	429	38	11.4	48.0%	45 (10.5%)	3 (0.7%)	368 (85.8%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.1%)	43.5	180^th of 346 public elementary schools	48.0%		48.9	142^nd of 345 public elementary schools	58.8%	38	42.9			36.5	56.3	45.7				46.8	21.2	21.9	34.3				26.3	$8,912
Alameda Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1325 N. Alameda Blvd	Las Cruces	88005	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9486	331	27	12.4	65.3%	19 (5.7%)	4 (1.2%)	302 (91.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	23.7	275^th of 346 public elementary schools	20.5%		22.6	276^th of 345 public elementary schools	20.0%	1	19.6			44.4	37.2	32.1				37.5	< 20%	< 20%	23.2				14.6	$9,652
Loma Heights Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1600 East Madrid	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9546	450	38	11.8	60.9%	39 (8.7%)	10 (2.2%)	398 (88.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	17.2	307^th of 346 public elementary schools	11.3%		19.3	301^st of 345 public elementary schools	12.8%	6	19.5			34.4	39.0	31.6				34.7	15.6	11.9	22.4				17.1	$10,870
Mac Arthur Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	655 N 4th St	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9556	335	29	11.5	69.9%	20 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	313 (93.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	16.7	310^th of 346 public elementary schools	10.4%		8.8	341^st of 345 public elementary schools	1.2%	31	16.7			31.3	36.4	27.7				32.0	< 20%	< 20%	25.5				12.7	$10,671
Booker T. Washington	Public	PK, KG-5	755 East Chestnut Ave	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9595	361	33	11.1	62.0%	24 (6.6%)	1 (0.3%)	335 (92.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)								(n/a)				31.8	43.2					31.0		< 20%					16.1	$13,990
J Paul Taylor Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	500 N Reymond St	Las Cruces	88005	Doña Ana County	J Paul Taylor Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 652-4006	200	16	12.6	16.5%	55 (27.5%)	0 (0.0%)	138 (69.0%)	4 (2.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	75.3	56^th of 346 public elementary schools	83.8%		74.3	58^th of 345 public elementary schools	83.2%	2	43.5	71.4	56.8	54.2	66.7	60.9	50.0	63.6	71.4	60.9	50.0	52.4	52.2	36.4	50.0	47.6	48.1	$7,963

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