Enrollment
316
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Carlsbad, NM
Hillcrest Preschool
Federal NCES profile for Hillcrest Preschool, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 350030001148
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 85
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hillcrest Preschool earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of New Mexico schools.
- #2 of 4
- schools in Carlsbad · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.6:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 17.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Hillcrest Preschool has class sizes larger than 90% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hillcrest Preschool ranks #2 of 4 schools in Carlsbad, NM.
School address
District: Carlsbad Municipal Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350030001148 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
17.1%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-79% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hillcrest Preschool compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hillcrest Preschool
Hillcrest Preschool is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Carlsbad, New Mexico, enrolling 316 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.6:1 is larger than about 90% of New Mexico schools and 33% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 17.1% free-meal eligibility runs 79% below the New Mexico average.
With 316 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Mexico median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Against 43 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #22.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (67%) and White (30%) (diversity index 46/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Carlsbad Municipal Schools spends $10,509 per pupil, 37% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Carlsbad Municipal Schools also operates Carlsbad High (1,685 students) and Carlsbad Intermediate School - Pr Leyva Campus (908 students) alongside Hillcrest Preschool.
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 Hillcrest Preschool compares
Hillcrest Preschool 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 | 18.6:1 | ▲ 33% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 17.1% | ▼ 79% | 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
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
316
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
17.1%
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
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 90% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
6.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,509
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 66.8%
White 30.4%
Asian 1.3%
African American 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.1, Hillcrest Preschool is more mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Carlsbad Municipal Schools, which includes Hillcrest Preschool.
$10,509
Per student
-37%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.9%
State 41.9%
Federal 7.3%
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 Hillcrest Preschool Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carlsbad Intermediate School - Pr Leyva Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carlsbad Sixth Grade Academy - Alta Vista Campus | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cottonwood Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desert Willow Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hillcrest Preschool's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,685
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 908
- Students per teacher
- 25.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 740
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 684
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 667
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
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 (~18.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hillcrest Preschool's federal record.
- Compare Hillcrest Preschool against another school. Compare schools
- Carlsbad Municipal 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 Hillcrest Preschool
How many students attend Hillcrest Preschool?
Hillcrest Preschool has 316 students enrolled. It is a public school in Carlsbad, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hillcrest Preschool?
The student-teacher ratio at Hillcrest Preschool is 18.6:1, which is 33% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hillcrest Preschool?
17.1% of students at Hillcrest Preschool are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hillcrest Preschool?
The largest demographic group at Hillcrest Preschool is Hispanic or Latino at 66.8% of enrollment, in Carlsbad, NM.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hillcrest Preschool?
Hillcrest Preschool has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical 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 Hillcrest Preschool rank among schools in Carlsbad?
By Resource Investment Index, Hillcrest Preschool ranks #2 of 4 schools in Carlsbad, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Carlsbad on the city page.
Is Hillcrest Preschool a good school?
Hillcrest Preschool earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 Carlsbad Municipal Schools?
Besides Hillcrest Preschool, Carlsbad Municipal Schools also operates Carlsbad High (1,685 students), Carlsbad Intermediate School - Pr Leyva Campus (908 students), and Carlsbad Sixth Grade Academy - Alta Vista Campus (740 students). See the Carlsbad Municipal 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.