Summary:
ZIP code 88005 in Las Cruces contains four schools — three elementary (including one K–8) and one high school, with no middle or alternative schools — serving 776 students total. Most students (513, roughly 66%) attend Las Cruces Public Schools: Alameda Elementary and Columbia Elementary. Another 200 attend the K–8 charter J Paul Taylor Academy, and 63 attend the 9–12 charter Alma D'Arte Charter.
The clear standout is J Paul Taylor Academy, rated 4 stars and ranked in the 84th percentile statewide in 2025–2026. Its proficiency beats state averages in every subject: 60.9% in language arts (state 43.34%), 48.12% in math (state 25.54%), and 56.82% in science (state 33.4%). At the other end, Alameda Elementary (331 students, PK–5) is rated 1 star and ranked in the 21st percentile, with 37.5% in language arts and 14.58% in math; its 3rd- and 4th-grade math results are reported as under 20%. Columbia Elementary (182 students, PK–5) falls in between: 2 stars and the 36th percentile, above the state in language arts (48.52%) but below in math (19.83%) and grade 5 science (17.57% vs. 31.97%).
Parents should note that Alma D'Arte Charter, the only high school here, has current test scores suppressed by the state, so its proficiency is unknown rather than zero; its 2024–2025 graduation rate of 64.6% trails the state's 80.6%. Poverty indicators differ sharply — Alameda, Columbia, and Alma D'Arte all report 100% free/reduced lunch, while J Paul Taylor reports 25.5% — and student-teacher ratios do not track with results, since Columbia has the smallest ratio (7.0) yet weaker math and science. About 34% of students in this ZIP attend charter schools.
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