Las Cruces Public Schools
Public school district · Doña Ana County · New Mexico · NCES district ID 3501500
Las Cruces Public Schools spent $14,613 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, below the middle: 74% of the other New Mexico districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 spent more (median $15,080). Its 38 schools enrolled 22,121 students in 2024-25; 69.4% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $16,907 per student, up 15.7% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 82% (New Mexico: 76.5%).
NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method
Spending per student among New Mexico's largest districts
Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. Among the 10 districts shown, Las Cruces Public Schools ranks 6.
Where the money came from
$393,416,000 in revenue: 69.4% state, 13.1% local and 17.5% federal. Total spending including $36,599,000 of capital outlay was $388,075,000, or $16,422 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$273,026,000 69%
- Local$51,472,000 13%
- Federal$68,918,000 18%
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 40 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).
Enrollment fell from 2022-23 to 2024-25
23,075 students in 2022-23, 22,714 students in 2023-24, 22,121 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.
Teachers and students per teacher
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 23,075 | 1488.0 | 15.5 |
| 2023-24 | 22,714 | 1547.7 | 14.7 |
| 2024-25 | 22,121 | 1476.3 | 15.0 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$112,015,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $4,740 per student
Las Cruces Public Schools booked $112,015,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 1,513 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $74,033 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 80 in 100 New Mexico districts with a figure (state median $66,663, 128 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average New Mexico teacher salary at $54,272 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
| Program | Teacher salaries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programs | $71,707,000 | 64.0% |
| Special education | $25,667,000 | 22.9% |
| Vocational | $1,039,000 | 0.9% |
| Other programs | $13,602,000 | 12.1% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2019-20 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $3,455 in 2019-20, $3,659 in 2020-21, $3,641 in 2021-22, $4,740 in 2022-23.
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).
State test results, 2021-22
In 2021-22, the students tested in Las Cruces Public Schools scored proficient or above: 33% in reading and 22% in math, against 33.8% in reading and 24.5% in math across New Mexico. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within New Mexico, not across states.
| Subject | This district | New Mexico | Students tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 33% | 33.8% | 11,849 |
| Math | 22% | 24.5% | 11,861 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.
Graduation rate, class of 2023
82% of the 1,870 students in Las Cruces Public Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 76.5% across New Mexico. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.
| This district | New Mexico | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 82% | 76.5% |
| Students in the class | 1,870 | 25,411 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.
25 elementary schools, 10,356 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monte Vista Elementary | 706 | 12.7 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Highland Elementary | 704 | 14.4 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Sonoma Elementary | 660 | 12.0 | 99.8% | Schoolwide program |
| Tombaugh Elementary | 565 | 12.2 | 99.6% | Schoolwide program |
| Desert Hills Elementary | 502 | 12.1 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Cesar Chavez Elementary | 492 | 10.4 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| East Picacho Elementary | 460 | 12.3 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Loma Heights Elementary | 450 | 11.9 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Jornada Elementary | 429 | 11.4 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Hillrise Elementary | 421 | 12.8 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Conlee Elementary | 417 | 12.0 | 99.8% | Schoolwide program |
| Hermosa Heights Elementary | 408 | 11.3 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
The other 13 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairacres Elementary | 405 | 13.0 | 99.8% | Schoolwide program |
| Dona Ana Elementary | 372 | 12.2 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| University Hills Elementary | 363 | 11.3 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Sunrise Elementary | 363 | 12.5 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Booker T. Washington | 361 | 11.1 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Valley View Elementary | 343 | 10.1 | 99.7% | Schoolwide program |
| Mac Arthur Elementary | 335 | 11.6 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Alameda Elementary | 331 | 12.5 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Mesilla Elementary | 324 | 11.4 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Mesilla Park Elementary | 311 | 9.6 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| White Sands Elementary | 270 | 10.6 | 100.0% | Eligible, no program |
| Central Elementary | 182 | 11.0 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Columbia Elementary | 182 | 7.0 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
8 middle schools, 4,848 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camino Real Middle | 933 | 11.1 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Mesa Middle | 728 | 15.7 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Sierra Middle | 698 | 10.7 | 99.7% | Schoolwide program |
| Picacho Middle | 698 | 11.4 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Zia Middle | 616 | 10.3 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Vista Middle | 574 | 10.3 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Lynn Middle | 507 | 9.8 | 99.8% | Schoolwide program |
| Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy | 94 | 15.7 | 97.9% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
5 high schools, 6,917 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organ Mountain High School | 2,128 | 19.0 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Centennial High School | 1,713 | 13.2 | 99.9% | Eligible, no program |
| Las Cruces High | 1,703 | 18.2 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Mayfield High | 1,327 | 17.2 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Rio Grande Preparatory Institute | 46 | 1.5 | 100.0% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
Contact Las Cruces Public Schools
- Website: lcps.net
- Phone: (575) 527-5800
- Office: 505 South Main Suite 249, Las Cruces, NM 88001
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.
What to look at next about Las Cruces Public Schools
- New Mexico districts by spending per studentLas Cruces Public Schools ranks 30 of 40 New Mexico districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($14,613).#30 of 40
- Every school district in New MexicoLas Cruces Public Schools is the number 2 by size of 152 New Mexico districts, with 23,631 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#2 of 152
- Albuquerque Public SchoolsThe next larger New Mexico district: 79,805 students in fall 2022, $15,108 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$15,108
- Rio Rancho Public SchoolsThe next smaller New Mexico district: 17,272 students in fall 2022, $13,392 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$13,392
- Compare Las Cruces Public Schools with Albuquerque Public SchoolsEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Organ Mountain High School, its largest high school2,128 students in 2024-25, 19.0 per teacher.2,128
- Teacher salary spending across New MexicoLas Cruces Public Schools spent $74,033 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $66,663); spending, not a salary.$74,033
- Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).
Questions about Las Cruces Public Schools
How many schools and students are in Las Cruces Public Schools?
38 schools were open in 2024-25 (25 elementary, 8 middle, 5 high), enrolling 22,121 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Las Cruces Public Schools spend per student?
$14,613 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the New Mexico median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $15,080 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $16,907 per student, up 15.7% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Las Cruces Public Schools' money come from?
$393,416,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 69.4% state, 13.1% local and 17.5% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Las Cruces Public Schools live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 6,321 of the 26,025 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 24.3%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.How much does Las Cruces Public Schools spend on teacher salaries?
$112,015,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $4,740 per student. Divided by the 1,513 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $74,033 per teacher, more than 80 in 100 New Mexico districts (state median $66,663). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average New Mexico teacher salary at $54,272 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).How do students in Las Cruces Public Schools do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Las Cruces Public Schools scored proficient or above: 33% in reading and 22% in math, against 33.8% in reading and 24.5% in math across New Mexico. New Mexico's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.What is the graduation rate in Las Cruces Public Schools?
82% of the 1,870 students in Las Cruces Public Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 76.5% across New Mexico. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.What is Las Cruces Public Schools' NCES district ID?
3501500. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.
Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.
Sources
Every federal file behind this record
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
- Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
- EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
- EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
- NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25