Enrollment
284
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Alamogordo, NM
Sierra Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sierra Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 350003000013
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sierra Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of New Mexico schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New Mexico schools.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Alamogordo · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.7:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 41.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Sierra Elementary has class sizes larger than 80% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sierra Elementary ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Alamogordo, NM.
School address
District: Alamogordo Public Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350003000013 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.2%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sierra Elementary compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sierra Elementary
Sierra Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Alamogordo, New Mexico, enrolling 284 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.7:1 puts it in the larger third of New Mexico schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 284 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Mexico median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Against 42 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #9.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (47%) and White (37%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights 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 Sierra 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 Sierra Elementary compares
Sierra 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 | 16.7:1 | ▲ 19% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.2% | ▼ 49% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 284 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
284
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% 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
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 80% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
23.6%
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
$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
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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
Hispanic or Latino 46.8%
White 36.6%
Two or More 11.3%
African American 4.2%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.2, Sierra 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 Sierra 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 Sierra Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alamogordo High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Holloman Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chaparral Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Middle | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Star Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sierra 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 (~284 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sierra Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sierra 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 Sierra Elementary
How many students attend Sierra Elementary?
Sierra Elementary has 284 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Alamogordo, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sierra Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sierra Elementary is 16.7:1, which is 19% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sierra Elementary?
41.2% of students at Sierra Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sierra Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sierra Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 46.8% of enrollment, in Alamogordo, NM. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sierra Elementary?
Sierra Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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).
How does Sierra Elementary rank among elementary schools in Alamogordo?
By Resource Investment Index, Sierra Elementary ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Alamogordo, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Alamogordo on the city page.
Is Sierra Elementary a good school?
Sierra Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of New Mexico schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Sierra 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.