- Enrollment
- 958
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Belen, NM
Dennis Chavez Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Dennis Chavez Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 350018000143
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dennis Chavez Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Mexico median.
- #1 of 5
- schools in Belen · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Dennis Chavez Elementary has class sizes near the New Mexico median. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dennis Chavez Elementary ranks #1 of 5 schools in Belen, NM.
School address
District: Belen Consolidated Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350018000143 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-15 students YoY
Dennis Chavez Elementary shrank from 296 students in 2022-23 to 281 in 2023-24 (-5.1%).
Teacher FTE lost 22.4 → 21.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-15 students YoY 350018000143 · Belen, NM Other · SMALL · TRAD
294 enr · 13.4:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 41
Nearest enrollment peer: Belen High (958 students)
Dennis Chavez Elementary shrank from 296 students in 2022-23 to 281 in 2023-24 (-5.1%). Teacher FTE lost 22.4 → 21.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Mexico schools → · Find another →
Dennis Chavez 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 294
Dennis Chavez Elementary
294 students
What this shows Dennis Chavez Elementary reports 294 students on the CCD universe file.
How Dennis Chavez Elementary compares
Dennis Chavez 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 | 13.4:1 | ▼ 4% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 294 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
294
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 51% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
37.8%
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 294 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 80.6%
White 14.6%
Two or More 2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 80.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.8, Dennis Chavez 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 Dennis Chavez 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| La Merced Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rio Grande Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gil Sanchez Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dennis Chavez 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 other 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 (~294 students)
Frequently asked questions about Dennis Chavez Elementary
How many students attend Dennis Chavez Elementary?
Dennis Chavez Elementary has 294 students enrolled. It is a public school in Belen, NM. CCD year-over-year: 296 (2022-23) → 281 (2023-24), down 15.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dennis Chavez Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Dennis Chavez Elementary is 13.4:1, which is 4% lower than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 15% 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 Dennis Chavez Elementary?
100.0% of students at Dennis Chavez Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dennis Chavez Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Dennis Chavez Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 80.6% of enrollment, in Belen, NM.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dennis Chavez Elementary?
Dennis Chavez Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Dennis Chavez Elementary rank among schools in Belen?
By Resource Investment Index, Dennis Chavez Elementary ranks #1 of 5 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 schools in Belen on the city page.
What other schools are in Belen Consolidated Schools?
Besides Dennis Chavez 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.