Enrollment
798
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
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 →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.3:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
16.6%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-79% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ernest Stapleton Elementary compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ernest Stapleton Elementary
Ernest Stapleton Elementary is a lower-poverty, large elementary school in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, enrolling 798 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.3:1 puts it in the larger third of New Mexico schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 16.6% free-meal eligibility runs 79% below the New Mexico average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New Mexico, bigger than 93% of state schools at 798 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Against 32 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #6.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and White (31%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 399 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Rio Rancho Public Schools spends $11,377 per pupil, 32% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Rio Rancho Public Schools also operates Cleveland High School (2,596 students) and Rio Rancho High (2,568 students) alongside Ernest Stapleton Elementary.
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 Ernest Stapleton Elementary compares
Ernest Stapleton Elementary 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 | 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 (what these measure)
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
$11,377
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
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.
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
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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rio Rancho Public Schools, which includes Ernest Stapleton Elementary.
$11,377
Per student
-32%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 14.8%
State 74.5%
Federal 10.7%
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 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
- 2,596
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- 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
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 (~798 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ernest Stapleton Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Ernest Stapleton Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Rio Rancho 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 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.
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, counselor availability, attendance rates. 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.
Is Ernest Stapleton Elementary a good school?
Ernest Stapleton Elementary earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Mexico median. 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 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.
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.