- Enrollment
- 958
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Belen, NM
Central Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 350018000142
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 67
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of New Mexico schools.
- #2 of 10
- public schools in Belen · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.1:1
- small classes for New Mexico
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary has class sizes smaller than 75% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary ranks #2 of 10 public schools in Belen, NM.
School address
District: Belen Consolidated Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350018000142 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-40 students YoY
Central Elementary shrank from 223 students in 2022-23 to 183 in 2023-24 (-17.9%).
Teacher FTE lost 15.0 → 14.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-40 students YoY 350018000142 · Belen, NM Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
166 enr · 11.1:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 48
Nearest enrollment peer: Belen High (958 students)
Central Elementary shrank from 223 students in 2022-23 to 183 in 2023-24 (-17.9%). Teacher FTE lost 15.0 → 14.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Mexico schools → · Find another →
Central Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Belen High
Belen High
958 students
- Belen Middle
Belen Middle
475 students
- La Merced Elem
La Merced Elementary
463 students
- Rio Grande Ele 332
Rio Grande Elementary
332 students
- Gil Sanchez El 316
Gil Sanchez Elementary
316 students
- This school 166
Central Elementary
166 students
What this shows Central Elementary reports 166 students on the CCD universe file.
How Central Elementary compares
Central Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs New Mexico and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Mexico | New Mexico avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.1:1 | ▼ 21% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 166 | top 70% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.1:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
166
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% above the New Mexico average of 80.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.1:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 25% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
50.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,218
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Mexico avg of $19,381
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 166 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 81.3%
White 15.7%
African American 1.8%
Two or More 1.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 81.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.4, Central Elementary is less mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Belen Consolidated Schools reports $15,218 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Central Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belen High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Belen Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| La Merced Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rio Grande Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gil Sanchez Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 475
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 463
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 332
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 316
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~166 students)
Frequently asked questions about Central Elementary
How many students attend Central Elementary?
Central Elementary has 166 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Belen, NM. CCD year-over-year: 223 (2022-23) → 183 (2023-24), down 40.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary is 11.1:1, which is 21% lower than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 29% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Elementary?
100.0% of students at Central Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 81.3% of enrollment, in Belen, NM.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary?
Central Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Central Elementary rank among public schools in Belen?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary ranks #2 of 10 public schools in Belen, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Belen on the city page.
What other schools are in Belen Consolidated Schools?
Besides Central Elementary, Belen Consolidated Schools also operates Belen High (958 students), Belen Middle (475 students), and La Merced Elementary (463 students). See the Belen Consolidated Schools district page for the complete list.