Los Alamos Public Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Los Alamos, New Mexico - 8 schools

An equity score of 30/100 ranks Los Alamos Public Schools #81 of 98 districts in New Mexico (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,646 per pupil, Los Alamos Public Schools ranks #105 of 141 New Mexico districts by per-pupil spending (New Mexico districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,724
Total Enrollment
8
Schools
$12,646
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Los Alamos Public Schools operates 8 public schools serving 3,724 students, placing it among the smaller districts in New Mexico. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 combined, 2 high, 1 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Los Alamos County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,646 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 141 New Mexico districts by per-pupil spending. See how New Mexico compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 20.6% local, 61.1% state, and 18.3% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 30/100, ranked #81 of 98 in New Mexico against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 8 schools offering Advanced Placement (22 AP courses district-wide), a 364.1:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 22.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 52.7% White, 35.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.1% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Aspen Elementary, with a diversity index of 61.1/100.

Its largest campus is Los Alamos High, enrolling 1,181 students (30% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Chamisa Elementary, at 301 students, a 4x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Los Alamos High accounts for 29.7% of all Los Alamos Public Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Los Alamos Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Los Alamos Public Schools school enrollment varies 3.9× across entities

Los Alamos Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 301 students (lowest) to 1,181 students (highest), a spread of 880 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Los Alamos Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 364:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Los Alamos Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 22.9% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Los Alamos Public Schools is typically wider than the Los Alamos Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

18.3%
Federal
61.1%
State
20.6%
Local

Funding Equity

30
Equity Score
81 / 98
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 8 schools in Los Alamos Public Schools.

White 52.7%
Hispanic or Latino 35.7%
African American 1.4%
Asian 7.1%
Multiracial 0.8%
Other 2.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 58.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Los Alamos Public Schools's schools, above the New Mexico average of 39.8.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Aspen Elementary 61.1
  2. 2 Mountain Elementary 60.0
  3. 3 Los Alamos Middle 58.9
  4. 4 Chamisa Elementary 58.3
  5. 5 Los Alamos High 58.1

Programs & Resources

1 / 8
Schools with AP
22 AP courses total
364.1:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.9%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Los Alamos Public Schools

School Enrollment
Los Alamos High
1,181
Los Alamos Middle
543
Mountain Elementary
435
Barranca Mesa Elementary
429
Aspen Elementary
428
Pinon Elementary
350
Topper Freshman Academy
305
Chamisa Elementary
301

How Los Alamos Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The New Mexico districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Artesia Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Belen Consolidated Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Lovington Municipal Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Grants-Cibola County Schools Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Espanola Public Schools Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Los Alamos Public Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in New Mexico

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Albuquerque Public Schools
79,805 students · 176 schools · $12,964/pupil
Compare vs Los Alamos Public Schools →
Las Cruces Public Schools
23,631 students · 40 schools · $12,237/pupil
Compare vs Los Alamos Public Schools →
Rio Rancho Public Schools
17,272 students · 21 schools · $11,377/pupil
Compare vs Los Alamos Public Schools →
Gadsden Independent Schools
12,551 students · 28 schools · $14,189/pupil
Compare vs Los Alamos Public Schools →
Gallup-Mckinley Cty Schools
12,224 students · 33 schools · $16,054/pupil
Compare vs Los Alamos Public Schools →

Compare Los Alamos Public Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Albuquerque Public Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Los Alamos Public Schools?

Los Alamos Public Schools has 8 schools, including 2 high, 1 middle, 5 combined. Total enrollment is 3,724 students.

How much does Los Alamos Public Schools spend per student?

Los Alamos Public Schools spends $12,646 per student. The district has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #81 in New Mexico.

What is the demographic composition of Los Alamos Public Schools?

Los Alamos Public Schools students are 52.7% White, 35.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.1% Asian, 1.4% African American, averaged across 8 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Los Alamos Public Schools?

Los Alamos Public Schools has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #81 out of 98 districts in New Mexico.