Enrollment
289
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Albuquerque, NM
Desert Willow Family School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Willow Family School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 350006000273
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Willow Family School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of New Mexico schools.
- #19 of 36
- elementary schools in Albuquerque · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 8.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Willow Family School has class sizes larger than 82% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Willow Family School ranks #19 of 36 elementary schools in Albuquerque, NM.
School address
District: Albuquerque Public Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350006000273 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
8.2%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-90% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Willow Family School compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Willow Family School
Desert Willow Family School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, enrolling 289 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17:1 puts it in the larger third of New Mexico schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 8.2% free-meal eligibility runs 90% below the New Mexico average.
With 289 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Mexico median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Among 26 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Mexico schools statewide, it ranks #21, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (33%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 578 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
13.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Albuquerque Public Schools spends $12,964 per pupil, 22% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Albuquerque Public Schools also operates Volcano Vista High (2,089 students) and Atrisco Heritage Academy Hs (1,930 students) alongside Desert Willow Family School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Desert Willow Family School compares
Desert Willow Family School on the metrics families compare, against New Mexico and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Mexico | New Mexico avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17:1 | ▲ 21% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 8.2% | ▼ 90% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 289 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
289
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
8.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 90% below the New Mexico average of 80.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 82% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,964
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Mexico avg of $16,652
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 55.0%
Hispanic or Latino 32.5%
Two or More 9.3%
Asian 2.1%
African American 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 55.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.3, Desert Willow Family School is more mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Albuquerque Public Schools, which includes Desert Willow Family School.
$12,964
Per student
-22%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.5%
State 68.0%
Federal 14.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Desert Willow Family School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volcano Vista High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Atrisco Heritage Academy Hs | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| La Cueva High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sandia High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eldorado High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Willow Family School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,089
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,930
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 1,826
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,618
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,579
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Mexico, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~289 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Willow Family School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Willow Family School against another school. Compare schools
- Albuquerque Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Desert Willow Family School
How many students attend Desert Willow Family School?
Desert Willow Family School has 289 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Albuquerque, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Willow Family School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Willow Family School is 17:1, which is 21% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Willow Family School?
8.2% of students at Desert Willow Family School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Willow Family School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Willow Family School is White at 55.0% of enrollment, in Albuquerque, NM. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Willow Family School?
Desert Willow Family School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Desert Willow Family School rank among elementary schools in Albuquerque?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Willow Family School ranks #19 of 36 elementary schools in Albuquerque, 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 Albuquerque on the city page.
Is Desert Willow Family School a good school?
Desert Willow Family School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of New Mexico schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Albuquerque Public Schools?
Besides Desert Willow Family School, Albuquerque Public Schools also operates Volcano Vista High (2,089 students), Atrisco Heritage Academy Hs (1,930 students), and La Cueva High (1,826 students). See the Albuquerque Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.