Enrollment
316
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Belen, NM
Gil Sanchez Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Gil Sanchez Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 350018000144
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 37
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gil Sanchez Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Mexico median.
- #3 of 5
- schools in Belen · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Gil Sanchez Elementary has class sizes near the New Mexico median. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gil Sanchez Elementary ranks #3 of 5 schools in Belen, NM.
School address
District: Belen Consolidated Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350018000144 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gil Sanchez Elementary compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gil Sanchez Elementary
Gil Sanchez Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Belen, New Mexico, enrolling 316 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.4:1 puts it in the larger third of New Mexico schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 100.0% lands close to the New Mexico typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 316 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Mexico median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Against 273 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #182.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 316 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Belen Consolidated Schools spends $13,063 per pupil, 22% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Belen Consolidated Schools also operates Belen High (958 students) and Belen Middle (475 students) alongside Gil Sanchez 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 Gil Sanchez Elementary compares
Gil Sanchez 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 | 14.4:1 | ▲ 3% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 316 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
316
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
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
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 61% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.2%
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
$13,063
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 316 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.
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 80.1%
White 17.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.3%
Two or More 0.6%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 80.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.7, Gil Sanchez Elementary is less mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Belen Consolidated Schools, which includes Gil Sanchez Elementary.
$13,063
Per student
-22%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.3%
State 70.9%
Federal 15.8%
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 Gil Sanchez Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belen High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Belen Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| La Merced Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rio Grande Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dennis Chavez Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gil Sanchez Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 958
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 475
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 463
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 332
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 294
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
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 (~316 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gil Sanchez Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Gil Sanchez Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Belen Consolidated 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 Gil Sanchez Elementary
How many students attend Gil Sanchez Elementary?
Gil Sanchez Elementary has 316 students enrolled. It is a public school in Belen, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gil Sanchez Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Gil Sanchez Elementary is 14.4:1, which is 3% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gil Sanchez Elementary?
100.0% of students at Gil Sanchez Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gil Sanchez Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Gil Sanchez Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 80.1% of enrollment, in Belen, NM.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gil Sanchez Elementary?
Gil Sanchez Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Gil Sanchez Elementary rank among schools in Belen?
By Resource Investment Index, Gil Sanchez Elementary ranks #3 of 5 schools in Belen, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Belen on the city page.
Is Gil Sanchez Elementary a good school?
Gil Sanchez Elementary earns 35/100 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 Belen Consolidated Schools?
Besides Gil Sanchez Elementary, Belen Consolidated Schools also operates Belen High (958 students), Belen Middle (475 students), and La Merced Elementary (463 students). See the Belen Consolidated 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.