- Enrollment
- 1,440
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Alamogordo, NM
Desert Star Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Desert Star Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 350003000012
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Star Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of New Mexico schools.
- #4 of 4
- elementary schools in Alamogordo · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.4:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 55.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Star Elementary has class sizes larger than 92% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Star Elementary ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Alamogordo, NM.
School address
District: Alamogordo Public Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350003000012 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-1 students YoY
Desert Star Elementary held near 463 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 24.0 → 28.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-1 students YoY 350003000012 · Alamogordo, NM Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
466 enr · 19.4:1 · 55.2% lunch · RII 25
Nearest enrollment peer: Alamogordo High (1,440 students)
Desert Star Elementary held near 463 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount). Teacher FTE added 24.0 → 28.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Mexico schools → · Find another →
Desert Star Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Alamogordo Hig
Alamogordo High
1,440 students
- Holloman Eleme 517
Holloman Elementary
517 students
- Chaparral Midd 513
Chaparral Middle
513 students
- Mountain View 479
Mountain View Middle
479 students
- This school 466
Desert Star Elementary
466 students
- Sunset Hills E 436
Sunset Hills Elementary
436 students
What this shows Desert Star Elementary reports 466 students on the CCD universe file.
How Desert Star Elementary compares
Desert Star Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: 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 | 19.4:1 | ▲ 39% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.2% | ▼ 32% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 466 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.4:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
466
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
55.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% below 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
19.4:1
students per teacher
- 39% above state mean
Top 92% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
41.8%
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
$13,655
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Mexico avg of $19,381
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 466 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 55.8%
White 29.6%
Two or More 7.9%
African American 4.3%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 55.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Desert Star Elementary is more mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Alamogordo Public Schools reports $13,655 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Desert Star Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alamogordo High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Holloman Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chaparral Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Middle | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sunset Hills Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Star Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 517
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 513
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 479
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
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 (~466 students)
Frequently asked questions about Desert Star Elementary
How many students attend Desert Star Elementary?
Desert Star Elementary has 466 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Alamogordo, NM. CCD year-over-year: 464 (2022-23) → 463 (2023-24), nearly flat (-1).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Star Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Star Elementary is 19.4:1, which is 39% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Star Elementary?
55.2% of students at Desert Star Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Star Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Desert Star Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 55.8% of enrollment, in Alamogordo, NM. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Star Elementary?
Desert Star Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 Desert Star Elementary rank among elementary schools in Alamogordo?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Star Elementary ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Alamogordo, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Alamogordo on the city page.
What other schools are in Alamogordo Public Schools?
Besides Desert Star Elementary, Alamogordo Public Schools also operates Alamogordo High (1,440 students), Holloman Elementary (517 students), and Chaparral Middle (513 students). See the Alamogordo Public Schools district page for the complete list.