Enrollment
1,826
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Albuquerque, NM
La Cueva High
Federal NCES profile for La Cueva High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 350006000698
👥 S:T ratio 23
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Cueva High earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of New Mexico schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Mexico.
- #11 of 29
- high schools in Albuquerque · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19.2:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 11.4%
- free-lunch eligible
La Cueva High has class sizes larger than 91% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Cueva High ranks #11 of 29 high schools in Albuquerque, NM.
School address
District: Albuquerque Public Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350006000698 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
95.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.2:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+37% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
11.4%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-86% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Cueva High compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Cueva High
La Cueva High is a lower-poverty, large high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, enrolling 1,826 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.2:1 is larger than about 91% of New Mexico schools and 37% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 11.4% free-meal eligibility runs 86% below the New Mexico average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New Mexico, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,826 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (41%) and White (40%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 22 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 261 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Albuquerque Public Schools spends $12,964 per pupil, 22% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Albuquerque Public Schools also operates Volcano Vista High (2,089 students) and Atrisco Heritage Academy Hs (1,930 students) alongside La Cueva High.
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 La Cueva High compares
La Cueva High 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 | 19.2:1 | ▲ 37% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 11.4% | ▼ 86% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,826 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.2:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,826
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
11.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 86% 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
19.2:1
students per teacher
- 37% above state mean
Top 91% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
23.2%
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
$12,964
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
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 261 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
81
in-school suspensions + 103 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 41.4%
White 39.6%
Asian 8.3%
Two or More 6.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.2%
African American 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 41.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.9, La Cueva High is more mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 22
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Albuquerque Public Schools, which includes La Cueva High.
$12,964
Per student
-22%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.5%
State 68.0%
Federal 14.5%
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 La Cueva High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volcano Vista High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Atrisco Heritage Academy Hs | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sandia High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eldorado High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Albuquerque High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Cueva High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,089
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,930
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 1,618
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,579
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,568
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar high 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 (~1,826 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Cueva High's federal record.
- Compare La Cueva High against another school. Compare schools
- Albuquerque 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 La Cueva High
How many students attend La Cueva High?
La Cueva High has 1,826 students enrolled. It is a high school in Albuquerque, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Cueva High?
The student-teacher ratio at La Cueva High is 19.2:1, which is 37% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Cueva High?
11.4% of students at La Cueva High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Cueva High?
The largest demographic group at La Cueva High is Hispanic or Latino at 41.4% of enrollment, in Albuquerque, NM. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Cueva High?
La Cueva High has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does La Cueva High rank among high schools in Albuquerque?
By Resource Investment Index, La Cueva High ranks #11 of 29 high schools in Albuquerque, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Albuquerque on the city page.
Is La Cueva High a good school?
La Cueva High earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of New Mexico schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Mexico. 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 Albuquerque Public Schools?
Besides La Cueva High, Albuquerque Public Schools also operates Volcano Vista High (2,089 students), Atrisco Heritage Academy Hs (1,930 students), and Sandia High (1,618 students). See the Albuquerque 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.