Tatum Municipal 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.

Tatum, New Mexico - 3 schools

An equity score of 43/100 ranks Tatum Municipal Schools #62 of 98 districts in New Mexico (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $16,410 per pupil, Tatum Municipal Schools ranks #59 of 141 New Mexico districts by per-pupil spending (New Mexico districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

298
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$16,410
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Tatum Municipal Schools operates 3 public schools serving 298 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New Mexico. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 combined, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Lea County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,410 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper 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 35.1% local, 60.3% state, and 4.6% 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 43/100, ranked #62 of 98 in New Mexico against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 1325:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 20.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 52.9% White, 42.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Tatum High, with a diversity index of 56.3/100.

Its largest campus is Tatum High, enrolling 129 students (42% of the district's total enrollment).

Tatum High accounts for 41.6% of all Tatum Municipal Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Tatum Municipal 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

Tatum Municipal Schools school enrollment varies 2.4× across entities

Tatum Municipal Schools school enrollment ranges from 53 students (lowest) to 129 students (highest), a spread of 76 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

Tatum Municipal Schools student-counselor ratio is 1325:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

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

Tatum Municipal Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 20.7% — 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 Tatum Municipal Schools is typically wider than the Tatum Municipal 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?

4.6%
Federal
60.3%
State
35.1%
Local

Funding Equity

43
Equity Score
62 / 98
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Tatum Municipal Schools.

White 52.9%
Hispanic or Latino 42.7%
Multiracial 4.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 53.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Tatum Municipal Schools's schools, above the New Mexico average of 39.8.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Tatum High 56.3
  2. 2 Tatum Jr High 53.1
  3. 3 Tatum Elementary 51.0

Programs & Resources

1325:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
20.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Tatum Municipal Schools

School Enrollment
Tatum High
129
Tatum Elementary
128
Tatum Jr High
53

How Tatum Municipal Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Melrose Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Tierra Encantada Charter School Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Magdalena Municipal Schools Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Penasco Independent Schools Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Logan Municipal Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

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

Compare Tatum Municipal 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 Tatum Municipal Schools?

Tatum Municipal Schools has 3 schools, including 1 high, 1 combined, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 298 students.

How much does Tatum Municipal Schools spend per student?

Tatum Municipal Schools spends $16,410 per student. The district has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #62 in New Mexico.

What is the demographic composition of Tatum Municipal Schools?

Tatum Municipal Schools students are 52.9% White, 42.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Tatum Municipal Schools?

Tatum Municipal Schools has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #62 out of 98 districts in New Mexico.