Enrollment
486
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Kirtland, NM
Judy Nelson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Judy Nelson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 350039001115
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Judy Nelson Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Mexico median.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Kirtland · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Judy Nelson Elementary has class sizes near the New Mexico median. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Judy Nelson Elementary ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Kirtland, NM.
School address
District: Central Consolidated Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350039001115 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Judy Nelson Elementary compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Judy Nelson Elementary
Judy Nelson Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Kirtland, New Mexico, enrolling 486 students.
At 12.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the New Mexico median, within a few percentage points of the 14:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
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.
Enrollment of 486 puts it in the larger third of New Mexico schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Among 237 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Mexico schools statewide, it ranks #174, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by American Indian / Alaska Native (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 486 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 39.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Central Consolidated Schools also operates Kirtland Central High (743 students) and Shiprock High (502 students) alongside Judy Nelson 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 Judy Nelson Elementary compares
Judy Nelson 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 | 12.8:1 | ▼ 9% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 486 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
486
Bigger than 60% 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
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 43% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
36.8%
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
$17,904
per pupil, district-wide
- above New Mexico avg of $16,652
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 486 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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
American Indian / Alaska Native 65.4%
Hispanic or Latino 14.4%
White 14.2%
Two or More 4.7%
Asian 1.0%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: American Indian / Alaska Native at 65.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.9, Judy Nelson 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 Central Consolidated Schools, which includes Judy Nelson Elementary.
$17,904
Per student
+8%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 8.0%
State 52.2%
Federal 39.8%
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 Judy Nelson Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirtland Central High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shiprock High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tse Bit Ai Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kirtland Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kirtland Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Judy Nelson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 743
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 502
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 390
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 388
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 372
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
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 (~486 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Judy Nelson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Judy Nelson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Central 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 Judy Nelson Elementary
How many students attend Judy Nelson Elementary?
Judy Nelson Elementary has 486 students enrolled. It is a public school in Kirtland, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Judy Nelson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Judy Nelson Elementary is 12.8:1, which is 9% lower than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 18% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Judy Nelson Elementary?
100.0% of students at Judy Nelson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Judy Nelson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Judy Nelson Elementary is American Indian / Alaska Native at 65.4% of enrollment, in Kirtland, NM. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Judy Nelson Elementary?
Judy Nelson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Judy Nelson Elementary rank among public schools in Kirtland?
By Resource Investment Index, Judy Nelson Elementary ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Kirtland, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Kirtland on the city page.
Is Judy Nelson Elementary a good school?
Judy Nelson Elementary earns 32/100 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 Central Consolidated Schools?
Besides Judy Nelson Elementary, Central Consolidated Schools also operates Kirtland Central High (743 students), Shiprock High (502 students), and Tse Bit Ai Middle (390 students). See the Central 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.