- Enrollment
- 2,596
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Rio Rancho, NM
Ernest Stapleton Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ernest Stapleton Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 350001000736
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ernest Stapleton Elementary earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Mexico median.
- #6 of 12
- elementary schools in Rio Rancho · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.3:1
- students per teacher
- 16.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Ernest Stapleton Elementary has class sizes near the New Mexico median. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ernest Stapleton Elementary ranks #6 of 12 elementary schools in Rio Rancho, NM.
School address
District: Rio Rancho Public Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350001000736 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-14 students YoY
Ernest Stapleton Elementary held near 801 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-14 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 52.0 → 36.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-14 students YoY 350001000736 · Rio Rancho, NM Elementary · MID · TRAD
798 enr · 15.3:1 · 16.6% lunch · RII 51
Nearest enrollment peer: Cleveland High School (2,596 students)
Ernest Stapleton Elementary held near 801 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-14 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 52.0 → 36.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Mexico schools → · Find another →
Ernest Stapleton Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Cleveland High
Cleveland High School
2,596 students
- Rio Rancho Hig
Rio Rancho High
2,568 students
- Rio Rancho Mid 1,024
Rio Rancho Middle School
1,024 students
- Mountain View 931
Mountain View Middle
931 students
- Lincoln Middle 805
Lincoln Middle
805 students
- This school 798
Ernest Stapleton Elementary
798 students
What this shows Ernest Stapleton Elementary reports 798 students on the CCD universe file.
How Ernest Stapleton Elementary compares
Ernest Stapleton 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 | 15.3:1 | ▲ 9% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.6% | ▼ 79% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 798 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
798
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
16.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 79% 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
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 69% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
9.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,392
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 399 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 56.3%
White 31.3%
Two or More 9.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.6, Ernest Stapleton Elementary is more mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Rio Rancho Public Schools reports $13,392 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Ernest Stapleton Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rio Rancho High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rio Rancho Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ernest Stapleton Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,568
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,024
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 931
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 805
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- 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 (~798 students)
Frequently asked questions about Ernest Stapleton Elementary
How many students attend Ernest Stapleton Elementary?
Ernest Stapleton Elementary has 798 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Rio Rancho, NM. CCD year-over-year: 815 (2022-23) → 801 (2023-24), nearly flat (-14).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ernest Stapleton Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ernest Stapleton Elementary is 15.3:1, which is 9% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ernest Stapleton Elementary?
16.6% of students at Ernest Stapleton Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ernest Stapleton Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ernest Stapleton Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 56.3% of enrollment, in Rio Rancho, NM. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ernest Stapleton Elementary?
Ernest Stapleton Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Ernest Stapleton Elementary rank among elementary schools in Rio Rancho?
By Resource Investment Index, Ernest Stapleton Elementary ranks #6 of 12 elementary schools in Rio Rancho, 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 Rio Rancho on the city page.
What other schools are in Rio Rancho Public Schools?
Besides Ernest Stapleton Elementary, Rio Rancho Public Schools also operates Cleveland High School (2,596 students), Rio Rancho High (2,568 students), and Rio Rancho Middle School (1,024 students). See the Rio Rancho Public Schools district page for the complete list.