Santa Fe 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.

Santa Fe, New Mexico - 29 schools

An equity score of 37/100 ranks Santa Fe Public Schools #68 of 98 districts in New Mexico (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,912 per pupil, Santa Fe Public Schools ranks #100 of 141 New Mexico districts by per-pupil spending (New Mexico districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

11,769
Total Enrollment
29
Schools
$12,912
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Santa Fe Public Schools operates 29 public schools serving 11,769 students, placing it in the mid-size range in New Mexico. The school portfolio breaks down into 18 combined, 6 elementary, 3 high, 2 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage 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 Santa Fe County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,912 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 30.4% local, 57.1% state, and 12.5% 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 37/100, ranked #68 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 3 of 29 schools offering Advanced Placement (49 AP courses district-wide), a 342.9:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 41.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 77.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% White, 2.2% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Wood-Gormley Elementary, with a diversity index of 59.5/100.

Its largest campus is Santa Fe High, enrolling 1,491 students (13% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Tesuque Elementary, at 61 students, a 24x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Santa Fe Public Schools school enrollment varies 24× across entities

Santa Fe Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 61 students (lowest) to 1,491 students (highest), a spread of 1,430 students. That spread is wider than typical and predicts noticeable gaps in service quality between the highest and lowest areas. 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

Santa Fe Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 74.1% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Santa Fe Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 343:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

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 Variation between sub-units within Santa Fe Public Schools is typically wider than the Santa Fe Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Santa Fe Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 41.0% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Where does the funding come from?

12.5%
Federal
57.1%
State
30.4%
Local

Funding Equity

37
Equity Score
68 / 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 29 schools in Santa Fe Public Schools.

White 16.4%
Hispanic or Latino 77.2%
African American 1.0%
Asian 2.2%
Other 2.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 31.6/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Santa Fe Public Schools's schools, below the New Mexico average of 39.8.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Wood-Gormley Elementary 59.5
  2. 2 Mandela International Magnet (Mims) 59.3
  3. 3 Acequia Madre Elementary 58.8
  4. 4 Carlos Gilbert Elementary 56.3
  5. 5 Atalaya Elementary 54.9

Programs & Resources

3 / 29
Schools with AP
49 AP courses total
342.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
41.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Santa Fe Public Schools

School Enrollment
Santa Fe High
1,491
Capital High
1,388
El Camino Real Academy Community
704
Nina Otero Community School
629
Pinon Elementary
513
El Dorado Community School
432
Ramirez Thomas Elementary
417
Edward Ortiz Middle
416
Academy for Technology & Classics
Charter
398
Amy Biehl Community School at Rancho Viejo
354
Kearny Elementary
338
Milagro Middle
329
Gonzales Elementary
328
Carlos Gilbert Elementary
317
Wood-Gormley Elementary
298
Cesar Chavez Elementary
290
Mandela International Magnet (Mims)
290
Aspen Community School
285
Salazar Elementary
282
R.M. Sweeney Elementary
265
Atalaya Elementary
259
Nye Early Childhood
212
E.J. Martinez Elementary
182
Chaparral Elementary
181
Francis X. Nava Elementary
163
Acequia Madre Elementary
154
Early College Opportunities
137
Desert Sage Academy
69
Tesuque Elementary
61

How Santa Fe Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Gallup-Mckinley Cty Schools Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Farmington Municipal Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Gadsden Independent Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Hobbs Municipal Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Roswell Independent Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe Public Schools →
Las Cruces Public Schools
23,631 students · 40 schools · $12,237/pupil
Compare vs Santa Fe Public Schools →
Rio Rancho Public Schools
17,272 students · 21 schools · $11,377/pupil
Compare vs Santa Fe Public Schools →
Gadsden Independent Schools
12,551 students · 28 schools · $14,189/pupil
Compare vs Santa Fe Public Schools →
Gallup-Mckinley Cty Schools
12,224 students · 33 schools · $16,054/pupil
Compare vs Santa Fe Public Schools →

Compare Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe Public Schools?

Santa Fe Public Schools has 29 schools, including 3 high, 18 combined, 6 elementary, 2 middle. Total enrollment is 11,769 students.

How much does Santa Fe Public Schools spend per student?

Santa Fe Public Schools spends $12,912 per student. The district has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #68 in New Mexico.

What is the demographic composition of Santa Fe Public Schools?

Santa Fe Public Schools students are 77.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% White, 2.2% Asian, 1.0% African American, averaged across 29 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Santa Fe Public Schools?

Santa Fe Public Schools has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #68 out of 98 districts in New Mexico.