Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 88005

The 88005 zip code area in New Mexico is home to two middle schools: Zia Middle and La Academia Dolores Huerta. While Zia Middle is a larger traditional public school with 626 students, La Academia Dolores Huerta is a smaller charter school with 68 students. Both schools have a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating room for improvement in academic achievement and other key metrics.

Zia Middle has a significantly higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 99.36%, compared to 51.47% at La Academia Dolores Huerta. This suggests a higher level of economic disadvantage among Zia Middle's student population, which may contribute to the school's lower academic performance. Zia Middle's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics are generally lower than the Las Cruces and New Mexico state averages across all grade levels. In contrast, La Academia Dolores Huerta's ELA proficiency rates are closer to the state average, but its Mathematics proficiency is significantly lower at 9.41% compared to the state average of 26.81%.

One potential advantage for La Academia Dolores Huerta is its smaller class sizes and lower student-to-teacher ratio of 9.4, compared to 14.7 at Zia Middle. However, the school's overall academic performance is still below the state average, particularly in Mathematics. Both schools are ranked in the middle of the pack among New Mexico middle schools, with Zia Middle ranked 120th and La Academia Dolores Huerta ranked 102nd out of 192 schools. Further research and targeted interventions may be necessary to help these schools improve their academic outcomes and better serve their student populations.