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Hillrise Elementary

Q: Is Hillrise Elementary a good school?

Hillrise Elementary ranks 149 th of 346 New Mexico elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Q: How many students attend Hillrise Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 421 students attended Hillrise Elementary.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Hillrise Elementary?

Students at Hillrise Elementary are 68% Hispanic, 24% White, 3% African American, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Q: What schools do graduates of Hillrise Elementary attend?

Students who attend Hillrise Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Lynn Middle High : Arrowhead Park Early College High School High : Centennial High School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

149^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 346 New Mexico Elementary Schools

Better than 57% of New Mexico elementary schools

Summary

Hillrise Elementary is a PK–5 school at 1400 South Curnutt St in Las Cruces, New Mexico, serving 421 students in Las Cruces Public Schools, a district where essentially every child at this school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch (100% in 2024-25). On the state's 2025-26 accountability ranking it places 149th of 346 elementary schools — 57th percentile, 3 stars — notably stronger than its own district, which rates 2 stars at the 44th percentile. In short, Hillrise is an above-average school inside a below-average district.

The school's recent direction, though, is downward. Hillrise spent much of the past decade in the 70th–82nd percentile and, after recovering to 77th–78th, has slipped to 57th — a 21-point percentile drop over three years and the loss of its 4-star rating. Math drives the slide: all-grades math proficiency fell from 36% (2023-24) to 31.09% (2024-25) to 28.33% (2025-26), while language arts held near 51%. Fifth grade is the engine, posting 43.14% in math and 44.23% in science — ahead of the state by 9.3 and 12.3 points — while 4th-grade math, at 19.18%, sits about 8 points below both district and state.

Among nearby LCPS elementaries, Hillrise ranks third of nine in reading and math — behind Desert Hills Elementary and Conlee Elementary, but ahead of University Hills Elementary, Loma Heights Elementary, Hermosa Heights Elementary, Booker T. Washington and Valley View Elementary. The neighborhood spread is extreme: Desert Hills sits at the 95th percentile only 1.57 miles away, and all of these schools report essentially 100% free/reduced lunch, showing that poverty alone does not determine outcomes. Hillrise earns its results with the largest classes in the group (12.7 students per teacher). Its standout strength is English learners — a 95th-percentile, 5-star result (12th of 223) in 2023-24 — while special education, last measured in the bottom quarter of schools (24th percentile in 2022-23), remains the most concerning unresolved gap. The nearby charter schools serve different populations and are not like-for-like comparisons.

421

Students ?

12.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,028

Per pupil spending ?

48.2%

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.

1400 South Curnutt St
Las Cruces, NM 88001

(575) 527-9666

District: Las Cruces Public Schools

Students who attend Hillrise Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Lynn Middle
High:	Arrowhead Park Early College High School
	Centennial High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

68.4%

White:

24.2%

African American:

2.9%

See top rated New Mexico elementary schools

Compare Hillrise Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 82nd percentile in 2015 → 57th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the New Mexico median (57th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 25 percentile points since 2015

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school40%

District avg37%

New Mexico avg36%

149^th of 346

New Mexico public elementary schools ?

Top 43%▼ down 21 pts since 2016

From top 22% (2016) to top 43% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of New Mexico Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

12^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	49.9	149 of 346	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	59.6	102 of 345	70.4%	★★★★☆
2024	70.3	96 of 413	76.8%	★★★★☆
2023	75.4	96 of 435	77.9%	★★★★☆
2022	42.4	206 of 420	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	58.1	138 of 396	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.2	115 of 383	70.0%	★★★★☆
2017	61.1	113 of 374	69.8%	★★★★☆
2016	70.5	89 of 410	78.3%	★★★★☆
2015	75.1	74 of 421	82.4%	★★★★☆
2014	85.0	39 of 442	91.2%	★★★★★
2013	79.5	65 of 412	84.2%	★★★★☆
2012	75.8	73 of 398	81.7%	★★★★☆
2011	82.5	56 of 402	86.1%	★★★★☆
2010	81.5	52 of 419	87.6%	★★★★☆
2009	87.4	33 of 411	92.0%	★★★★★
2008	84.3	45 of 405	88.9%	★★★★☆
2007	86.4	37 of 398	90.7%	★★★★★
2006	83.2	48 of 390	87.7%	★★★★☆
2005	82.4	48 of 389	87.7%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2022	24.3	46 of 56	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2022	44.4	20 of 40	50.0%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2024	95.0	12 of 223	94.6%	★★★★★
2023	87.8	31 of 191	83.8%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	43.6	133 of 252	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	71.7	77 of 398	80.7%	★★★★☆
2023	76.6	87 of 390	77.7%	★★★★☆
2022	39.0	207 of 395	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	43.2	181 of 343	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	55.9	126 of 339	62.8%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	37.2	176 of 273	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	54.2	97 of 255	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	47.7	177 of 384	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	63.8	133 of 395	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	31.6	242 of 389	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	44.8	174 of 320	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	44.1	180 of 329	45.3%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	37.4	166 of 256	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	62.9	80 of 325	75.4%	★★★★☆
2024	69.9	87 of 356	75.6%	★★★★☆
2023	85.8	51 of 426	88.0%	★★★★☆
2022	50.2	151 of 410	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	71.1	69 of 361	80.9%	★★★★☆
2018	72.3	54 of 356	84.8%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	44.6	126 of 251	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	60.1	126 of 397	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	68.6	112 of 414	72.9%	★★★★☆
2022	37.2	207 of 392	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	61.2	100 of 337	70.3%	★★★★☆
2018	62.8	96 of 333	71.2%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2023	36.0	126 of 165	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.9	114 of 132	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	35.7	186 of 304	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	51.8	123 of 304	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	60.3	102 of 339	69.9%	★★★★☆
2023	65.9	127 of 413	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	41.9	192 of 325	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	61.6	72 of 199	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	74.5	33 of 187	82.4%	★★★★☆

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 (2024)95th percentile+18 vs school

Asian (2022)50th percentile~ school

Male (2026)50th percentile-7 vs school

Female (2026)47th percentile-10 vs school

White (2026)39th percentile-18 vs school

Hispanic (2026)36th percentile-21 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)35th percentile-22 vs school

Special Education (2023)24th percentile-54 vs school

African American (2022)18th percentile-33 vs school

By subject vs New Mexico (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts51%+6 vs state

Science44%+12 vs state

Mathematics28%~ state avg

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, October 30, 2014

As a parent of multiple children that have attended Hillrise from the time the school opened until recently, I can say that this school is a great school. The staff is very dedicated doing their very best for the benefit of every child that attends the school. The staff really cares about all the diverse population of children. In our own personal experience, all our children received a great educational foundation at this school that helped them in later grades, and ultimately to successful college achievement and careers. This school consistently achieves high scores for the students. The staff attends professional development and always seeks out the best for the benefit of their students. There is strong parental involvement. The school does a good job with communication and the school website is current and always very helpful. The administration changes a lot (as it does with many schools) which does create problems with changes (not always positive) in school climate, culture, and history. Can it do better in certain areas - yes, as many other schools could do, too. The specials the children attend are top-notch and do a great job presenting valuable information. The teachers are superior and rank as some of the highest in the entire state through their consistent high student test scores! Thank you teachers because administrators come and go!! Close Quote

Schools Near Hillrise 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
Hillrise Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1400 South Curnutt St	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9666	421	33	12.7	48.2%	102 (24.2%)	12 (2.9%)	288 (68.4%)	8 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.6%)	49.9	149^th of 346 public elementary schools	56.9%		59.6	102^nd of 345 public elementary schools	70.4%	47	44.2			51.8	52.1	49.0				51.1	26.8	19.2	43.1				28.3	$9,028
Conlee Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1701 Boston Dr	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9656	417	35	12.0	68.6%	45 (10.8%)	18 (4.3%)	350 (83.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	52.4	136^th of 346 public elementary schools	60.7%		46.7	159^th of 345 public elementary schools	53.9%	23	31.4			35.3	67.3	45.1				49.7	23.5	32.7	58.8				38.2	$11,071
University Hills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2005 South Locust St	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9649	363	32	11.3	62.0%	54 (14.9%)	21 (5.8%)	270 (74.4%)	13 (3.6%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	30.9	236^th of 346 public elementary schools	31.8%		44	172^nd of 345 public elementary schools	50.1%	64	23.9			50.0	48.8	34.1				44.2	25.6	19.5	18.2				21.1	$11,880
Desert Hills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	280 North Roadrunner Pkwy	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9619	502	42	12.0	33.1%	103 (20.5%)	13 (2.6%)	340 (67.7%)	26 (5.2%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.2%)	92.3	19^th of 346 public elementary schools	94.5%		85.6	35^th of 345 public elementary schools	89.9%	16	76.5			65.2	78.4	81.0				75.6	43.9	52.6	60.8				52.9	$8,467
Hermosa Heights Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1655 East Amador Ave	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9530	408	36	11.3	70.6%	34 (8.3%)	5 (1.2%)	363 (89.0%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	22.5	283^rd of 346 public elementary schools	18.2%		22.2	278^th of 345 public elementary schools	19.4%	5	25.0			27.3	42.9	28.9				33.6	< 20%	23.2	< 20%				15.8	$11,668
Valley View Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	915 E California Ave	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9586	343	34	10.0	71.4%	33 (9.6%)	12 (3.5%)	284 (82.8%)	8 (2.3%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	14.5	317^th of 346 public elementary schools	8.4%		24.1	266^th of 345 public elementary schools	22.9%	51	< 20%		< 20%	24.4	35.3	31.6				30.8	< 20%	< 20%	18.4				10.8	$12,275
Explore Academy Las Cruces	Public, Charter	K-8	850 N Telshor Blvd	Las Cruces	88011	Doña Ana County	Explore Academy Las Cruces	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(575) 888-4476	599	52	11.5	41.1%	60 (10.0%)	3 (0.5%)	489 (81.6%)	3 (0.5%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (6.7%)	38.2	206^th of 346 public elementary schools	40.5%		44.8	167^th of 345 public elementary schools	51.6%	39	46.3	39.7	42.1	43.8	43.6	48.8	33.3	37.7	27.4	37.4	< 20%	20.5	26.8	25.5	22.6	17.8	20.4
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
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
Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	150 North Alameda Blvd	Las Cruces	88001	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9496	182	17	10.9	61.0%	28 (15.4%)	1 (0.5%)	147 (80.8%)	2 (1.1%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	51.1	145^th of 346 public elementary schools	58.1%		53.3	122^nd of 345 public elementary schools	64.6%	23	30.8			52.0	62.2	53.9				56.4		21.6	33.3				25.7	$12,022

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