Enrollment
599
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Las Cruces, NM
Explore Academy Las Cruces
Federal NCES profile for Explore Academy Las Cruces, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 350018801160Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 83
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Explore Academy Las Cruces earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of New Mexico schools.
- #1 of 25
- schools in Las Cruces · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 42.8:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 47.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Explore Academy Las Cruces has class sizes larger than 99% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Explore Academy Las Cruces ranks #1 of 25 schools in Las Cruces, NM.
School address
District: Explore Academy Las Cruces · New Mexico
NCES ID 350018801160 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
42.8:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+206% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.1%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Explore Academy Las Cruces compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Explore Academy Las Cruces
Explore Academy Las Cruces is a large charter combined-grade school in Las Cruces, New Mexico, enrolling 599 students.
Class loads run heavy: 42.8:1 is larger than about 99% of New Mexico schools and 206% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 47.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 599 puts it in the larger third of New Mexico schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Among 34 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Mexico schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 32/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Explore Academy Las Cruces is a single-school charter district, so Explore Academy Las Cruces operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Explore Academy Las Cruces compares
Explore Academy Las Cruces 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 | 42.8:1 | ▲ 206% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.1% | ▼ 42% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 599 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
42.8:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
599
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% 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
42.8:1
students per teacher
- 206% above state mean
Top 99% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
6.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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 81.6%
White 10.0%
Two or More 6.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 81.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.0, Explore Academy Las Cruces is less mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Similar other 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 (~599 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~42.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Explore Academy Las Cruces's federal record.
- Compare Explore Academy Las Cruces against another school. Compare schools
- Explore Academy Las Cruces'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 Explore Academy Las Cruces
How many students attend Explore Academy Las Cruces?
Explore Academy Las Cruces has 599 students enrolled. It is a public school in Las Cruces, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Explore Academy Las Cruces?
The student-teacher ratio at Explore Academy Las Cruces is 42.8:1, which is 206% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 173% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Explore Academy Las Cruces?
47.1% of students at Explore Academy Las Cruces are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Explore Academy Las Cruces?
The largest demographic group at Explore Academy Las Cruces is Hispanic or Latino at 81.6% of enrollment, in Las Cruces, NM.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Explore Academy Las Cruces?
Explore Academy Las Cruces has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Explore Academy Las Cruces rank among schools in Las Cruces?
By Resource Investment Index, Explore Academy Las Cruces ranks #1 of 25 schools in Las Cruces, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Las Cruces on the city page.
Is Explore Academy Las Cruces a good school?
Explore Academy Las Cruces earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% 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 Explore Academy Las Cruces?
None; Explore Academy Las Cruces is a single-school charter district, and Explore Academy Las Cruces is its only campus.
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.