Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its New Mexico rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Columbia Elementary

Q: Is Columbia Elementary a good school?

Columbia Elementary ranks 221 st of 346 New Mexico elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Q: How many students attend Columbia Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 182 students attended Columbia Elementary.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Columbia Elementary?

Students at Columbia Elementary are 90% Hispanic, 7% White, 3% African American.

Q: What schools do graduates of Columbia Elementary attend?

Students who attend Columbia Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Vista Middle High : Arrowhead Park Early College High School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

221^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 346 New Mexico Elementary Schools

Better than 36% of New Mexico elementary schools

Summary

Columbia Elementary is a small PK–5 neighborhood school at 4555 Elks Dr in Las Cruces, New Mexico, serving 182 students as part of Las Cruces Public Schools, and it is the smallest school among its nearby same-district peers, which range from 331 to 704 students.

There is real good news. Columbia's reading scores are above both the district and the state in 2025–26, and its third-grade reading result is the highest in its comparison group. Its reading score rose about 14 points in a single year — the largest gain of any nearby school — and it ranks 221st of 346 ranked New Mexico elementary schools (36th percentile, 2 stars), its best finish in eight years. The school also has the lowest student–teacher ratio in its peer group, about 7 students per teacher, down from 10.4 three years ago, and it has clearly pulled ahead of the lowest-ranked nearby schools such as Alameda Elementary, Booker T. Washington, and Loma Heights Elementary.

The concern is the other half of the curriculum. Math sits near the bottom of the comparison group and roughly 8 points below the state, and the gap between Columbia's reading and math scores is the widest in the area. Fifth-grade science is the weakest result of all — about 14 points below the state and far behind Sonoma Elementary, East Picacho Elementary, Highland Elementary, Jornada Elementary, and Doña Ana Elementary, all within a few miles and serving similar student populations. Doña Ana Elementary, the closest comparison at 1.17 miles with the same 100% free/reduced-lunch rate, scores far higher in math and science and ranks in the 66th percentile — useful evidence that these gaps can be narrowed.

182

Students ?

7.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,474

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4555 Elks Dr
Las Cruces, NM 88005

(575) 527-1561

District: Las Cruces Public Schools

Students who attend Columbia Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Vista Middle
High:	Arrowhead Park Early College High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

89.6%

White:

6.6%

African American:

3.3%

See top rated New Mexico elementary schools

Compare Columbia Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 22nd percentile in 2017 → 36th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 36th (2026) from a 22nd-percentile low (2017)

✓Small classes — about 7 students per teacher

Worth a look

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

!Science scores 15 pts below the New Mexico average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school32%

District avg37%

New Mexico avg36%

221^st of 346

New Mexico public elementary schools ?

Bottom 36%▬ steady since 2016

See the entire ranking list of New Mexico Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

15^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	34.1	221 of 346	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	26.1	250 of 345	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.7	271 of 413	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.1	330 of 435	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.0	302 of 420	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.5	302 of 396	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	42.9	197 of 383	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2017	24.6	293 of 374	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	35.8	261 of 410	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2015	45.9	192 of 421	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2014	38.5	279 of 442	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2013	23.7	339 of 412	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	26.5	315 of 398	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	38.2	259 of 402	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2010	24.9	337 of 419	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	30.4	314 of 411	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	36.1	273 of 405	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2007	43.6	225 of 398	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2006	47.3	204 of 390	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2005	40.9	239 of 389	38.6%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2024	15.7	206 of 223	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	57.3	64 of 203	68.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	44.2	132 of 252	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.5	229 of 398	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	17.3	359 of 390	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	22.4	293 of 395	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	28.9	254 of 343	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.7	235 of 339	30.7%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	29.2	204 of 273	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	29.0	184 of 255	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	32.2	252 of 384	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	20.3	339 of 395	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.3	266 of 389	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	23.4	258 of 320	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	41.2	190 of 329	42.2%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	36.6	168 of 256	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	28.4	228 of 325	29.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.4	230 of 356	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.4	313 of 426	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.3	258 of 410	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	31.6	260 of 361	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	53.2	143 of 356	59.8%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	21.4	216 of 251	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.9	296 of 397	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	29.7	293 of 414	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.6	232 of 392	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	23.1	280 of 337	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	49.4	139 of 333	58.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2026	30.0	217 of 304	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	25.1	224 of 304	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.5	252 of 339	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.3	333 of 413	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	37.3	217 of 325	33.2%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Female (2026)48th percentile+11 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)34th percentile~ school

White (2026)29th percentile-8 vs school

Hispanic (2026)25th percentile-11 vs school

Male (2026)14th percentile-22 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)8th percentile-27 vs school

By subject vs New Mexico (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts49%+4 vs state

Mathematics19%-8 vs state

Science18%-15 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Columbia Elementary and help other families decide.

Rate Columbia Elementary

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Columbia Elementary

Load more schools when map is moved

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	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	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 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 All Grades	NM-MSSA Mathematics 3rd Grade	NM-MSSA Mathematics 4th Grade	NM-MSSA Mathematics 5th Grade	NM-MSSA Mathematics All Grades	Total
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	100.0%	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	100.0%	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
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	100.0%	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
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	100.0%	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
Highland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4201 Emerald St	Las Cruces	88012	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 527-9636	704	49	14.3	100.0%	127 (18.0%)	11 (1.6%)	522 (74.1%)	14 (2.0%)	5 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.6%)	57.5	114^th of 346 public elementary schools	67.1%		58.4	108^th of 345 public elementary schools	68.7%	6	44.3		44.0	55.2	65.0	54.9	25.3	25.4	46.4	33.3	$8,078
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	100.0%	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%
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	100.0%	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
Sonoma Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4201 Northrise Dr	Las Cruces	88011	Doña Ana County	Las Cruces Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 541-7320	660	55	12.0	99.8%	115 (17.4%)	10 (1.5%)	503 (76.2%)	8 (1.2%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (3.0%)	68.6	76^th of 346 public elementary schools	78.0%		75.8	54^th of 345 public elementary schools	84.3%	22	52.5		49.5	65.7	59.4	58.3	33.3	33.3	46.5	37.8	$8,200
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	100.0%	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
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	100.0%	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

Frequently Asked Questions about Columbia Elementary

Rate Columbia Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NMNew Mexico Elementary School Rankings

NMNew Mexico District Rankings

Schools in Las Cruces, NM

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Columbia Elementary!