- Enrollment
- 1,219
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Chaparral, NM
Desert Trail Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Desert Trail Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 350108000655
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 4
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Trail Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of New Mexico schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most New Mexico schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Chaparral · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Trail Elementary has class sizes larger than 75% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Trail Elementary ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Chaparral, NM.
School address
District: Gadsden Independent Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350108000655 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-29 students YoY
Desert Trail Elementary shrank from 496 students in 2022-23 to 467 in 2023-24 (-5.8%).
Teacher FTE lost 30.1 → 29.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-29 students YoY 350108000655 · Chaparral, NM Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
479 enr · 16:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 39
Nearest enrollment peer: Gadsden High (1,219 students)
Desert Trail Elementary shrank from 496 students in 2022-23 to 467 in 2023-24 (-5.8%). Teacher FTE lost 30.1 → 29.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Mexico schools → · Find another →
Desert Trail Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Gadsden High
Gadsden High
1,219 students
- Santa Teresa H
Santa Teresa High
1,154 students
- Chaparral High
Chaparral High
1,067 students
- Gadsden Middle
Gadsden Middle
650 students
- Riverside Elem
Riverside Elementary
550 students
- This school 479
Desert Trail Elementary
479 students
What this shows Desert Trail Elementary reports 479 students on the CCD universe file.
How Desert Trail Elementary compares
Desert Trail 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 | 16:1 | ▲ 14% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 479 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
479
Bigger than 59% 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
16:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 75% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
21.7%
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
$18,250
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Mexico avg of $19,381
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 479 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 95.0%
White 3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
African American 0.6%
Two or More 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 95.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 9.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 9.6, Desert Trail Elementary is less mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Gadsden Independent Schools reports $18,250 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Desert Trail Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Santa Teresa High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chaparral High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gadsden Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Riverside Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Trail Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,154
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 650
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 550
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
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 (~479 students)
Frequently asked questions about Desert Trail Elementary
How many students attend Desert Trail Elementary?
Desert Trail Elementary has 479 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Chaparral, NM. CCD year-over-year: 496 (2022-23) → 467 (2023-24), down 29.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Trail Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Trail Elementary is 16:1, which is 14% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Trail Elementary?
100.0% of students at Desert Trail Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Trail Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Desert Trail Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 95.0% of enrollment, in Chaparral, NM.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Trail Elementary?
Desert Trail Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Desert Trail Elementary rank among public schools in Chaparral?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Trail Elementary ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Chaparral, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Gadsden Independent Schools?
Besides Desert Trail Elementary, Gadsden Independent Schools also operates Gadsden High (1,219 students), Santa Teresa High (1,154 students), and Chaparral High (1,067 students). See the Gadsden Independent Schools district page for the complete list.