Enrollment
224
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · La Luz, NM
La Luz Elementary
Federal NCES profile for La Luz Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 350003000008
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 9
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Luz Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of New Mexico schools.
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.4:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 53.5%
- free-lunch eligible
- 224
- students enrolled
La Luz Elementary has class sizes larger than 94% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Alamogordo Public Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350003000008 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.4:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+46% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.5%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Luz Elementary compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Luz Elementary
La Luz Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in La Luz, New Mexico, enrolling 224 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.4:1 is larger than about 94% of New Mexico schools and 46% 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 53.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 224 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.
Among 34 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Mexico schools statewide, it ranks #26, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (46%) (diversity index 57/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Alamogordo Public Schools spends $11,242 per pupil, 32% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Alamogordo Public Schools also operates Alamogordo High (1,440 students) and Holloman Elementary (517 students) alongside La Luz 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 La Luz Elementary compares
La Luz 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 | 20.4:1 | ▲ 46% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.5% | ▼ 34% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 224 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.4:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
224
Bigger than 22% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
20.4:1
students per teacher
- 46% above state mean
Top 94% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
36.2%
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
$11,242
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
2
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 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
White 46.4%
Hispanic or Latino 45.5%
Two or More 5.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.8%
African American 0.9%
Largest group: White at 46.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.4, La Luz 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 Alamogordo Public Schools, which includes La Luz Elementary.
$11,242
Per student
-32%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 12.4%
State 68.6%
Federal 19.0%
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 Luz Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alamogordo High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Holloman Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chaparral Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Middle | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desert Star Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Luz Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,440
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 517
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 513
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 479
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 466
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary 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 (~224 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Luz Elementary's federal record.
- Compare La Luz Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Alamogordo 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 Luz Elementary
How many students attend La Luz Elementary?
La Luz Elementary has 224 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in La Luz, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Luz Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at La Luz Elementary is 20.4:1, which is 46% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 30% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Luz Elementary?
53.5% of students at La Luz Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Luz Elementary?
The largest demographic group at La Luz Elementary is White at 46.4% of enrollment, in La Luz, NM. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Luz Elementary?
La Luz Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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).
Is La Luz Elementary a good school?
La Luz Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 Alamogordo Public Schools?
Besides La Luz Elementary, Alamogordo Public Schools also operates Alamogordo High (1,440 students), Holloman Elementary (517 students), and Chaparral Middle (513 students). See the Alamogordo 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.