- Enrollment
- 376
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Portales, NM
Portales High
Federal NCES profile for Portales High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 350210000488
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Portales High earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of New Mexico schools.
- #1 of 6
- public schools in Portales · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.4:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 58.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Portales High has class sizes larger than 78% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Portales High ranks #1 of 6 public schools in Portales, NM.
School address
District: Portales Municipal Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350210000488 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-9 students YoY
Portales High held near 798 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-9 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 46.0 → 7.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-9 students YoY 350210000488 · Portales, NM High · MID · TRAD
754 enr · 16.4:1 · 58.9% lunch · RII 51
Nearest enrollment peer: Lindsey-Steiner Elementary (376 students)
Portales High held near 798 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-9 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 46.0 → 7.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Mexico schools → · Find another →
Portales High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Portales High
754 students
- Lindsey-Steine
Lindsey-Steiner Elementary
376 students
- Valencia Eleme
Valencia Elementary
366 students
- James Elementa
James Elementary
364 students
- Brown Early Ch
Brown Early Childhood Center
332 students
- Portales Jr Hi
Portales Jr High
326 students
What this shows Portales High reports 754 students on the CCD universe file.
How Portales High compares
Portales High held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs New Mexico and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Mexico | New Mexico avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.4:1 | ▲ 17% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.9% | ▼ 27% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 754 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
754
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
58.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% 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
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 78% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
20.6%
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
$15,691
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Mexico avg of $19,381
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 251 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
33
in-school suspensions + 78 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 67.6%
White 25.7%
Two or More 2.8%
African American 2.0%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 67.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.6, Portales High is more mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Portales Municipal Schools reports $15,691 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Portales High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lindsey-Steiner Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Valencia Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| James Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Brown Early Childhood Center | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Portales Jr High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Portales High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 366
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 364
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 332
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 326
- Students per teacher
- 10.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~754 students)
Frequently asked questions about Portales High
How many students attend Portales High?
Portales High has 754 students enrolled. It is a high school in Portales, NM. CCD year-over-year: 807 (2022-23) → 798 (2023-24), nearly flat (-9).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Portales High?
The student-teacher ratio at Portales High is 16.4:1, which is 17% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Portales High?
58.9% of students at Portales High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Portales High?
The largest demographic group at Portales High is Hispanic or Latino at 67.6% of enrollment, in Portales, NM.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Portales High?
Portales High has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Portales High rank among public schools in Portales?
By Resource Investment Index, Portales High ranks #1 of 6 public schools in Portales, 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 Portales on the city page.
What other schools are in Portales Municipal Schools?
Besides Portales High, Portales Municipal Schools also operates Lindsey-Steiner Elementary (376 students), Valencia Elementary (366 students), and James Elementary (364 students). See the Portales Municipal Schools district page for the complete list.