- Enrollment
- 754
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Portales, NM
Portales Jr High
Federal NCES profile for Portales Jr High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 350210000489
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 10
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Portales Jr High earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of New Mexico schools.
- #2 of 6
- public schools in Portales · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.9:1
- small classes for New Mexico
- 59.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Portales Jr High has class sizes smaller than 76% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Portales Jr High ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Portales, NM.
School address
District: Portales Municipal Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350210000489 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-61 students YoY
Portales Jr High shrank from 408 students in 2022-23 to 347 in 2023-24 (-15.0%).
Teacher FTE lost 30.0 → 3.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-61 students YoY 350210000489 · Portales, NM Middle · SMALL · TRAD
326 enr · 10.9:1 · 59.8% lunch · RII 43
Nearest enrollment peer: Portales High (754 students)
Portales Jr High shrank from 408 students in 2022-23 to 347 in 2023-24 (-15.0%). Teacher FTE lost 30.0 → 3.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Mexico schools → · Find another →
Portales Jr High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Portales High
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
- This school
Portales Jr High
326 students
What this shows Portales Jr High reports 326 students on the CCD universe file.
How Portales Jr High compares
Portales Jr High is a shrinking campus on CCD: 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 | 10.9:1 | ▼ 22% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.8% | ▼ 26% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 326 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.9:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
326
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
59.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
10.9:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 24% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
35.9%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 326 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
37
in-school suspensions + 78 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 35.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 70.6%
White 20.9%
Two or More 4.3%
African American 2.5%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 70.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.5, Portales Jr High is more mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
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 Jr High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portales High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lindsey-Steiner Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valencia Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| James Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Brown Early Childhood Center | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Portales Jr High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 376
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- 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
Nationwide middle 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 (~326 students)
Frequently asked questions about Portales Jr High
How many students attend Portales Jr High?
Portales Jr High has 326 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Portales, NM. CCD year-over-year: 408 (2022-23) → 347 (2023-24), down 61.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Portales Jr High?
The student-teacher ratio at Portales Jr High is 10.9:1, which is 22% lower than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 31% 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 Portales Jr High?
59.8% of students at Portales Jr High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Portales Jr High?
The largest demographic group at Portales Jr High is Hispanic or Latino at 70.6% of enrollment, in Portales, NM.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Portales Jr High?
Portales Jr High has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical 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 Jr High rank among public schools in Portales?
By Resource Investment Index, Portales Jr High ranks #2 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 Jr High, Portales Municipal Schools also operates Portales High (754 students), Lindsey-Steiner Elementary (376 students), and Valencia Elementary (366 students). See the Portales Municipal Schools district page for the complete list.