Enrollment
604
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Albuquerque, NM
South Valley Academy
Federal NCES profile for South Valley Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 350006000809Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Valley Academy earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Mexico median.
- #44 of 102
- schools in Albuquerque · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.1:1
- students per teacher
- 99.5%
- free-lunch eligible
South Valley Academy has class sizes near the New Mexico median. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Valley Academy ranks #44 of 102 schools in Albuquerque, NM.
School address
District: Albuquerque Public Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350006000809 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.1:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.5%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
+23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Valley Academy compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Valley Academy
South Valley Academy is a high-poverty, large charter combined-grade school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, enrolling 604 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of New Mexico schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 99.5% lands close to the New Mexico typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 604 puts it in the larger third of New Mexico schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Against 174 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #41.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 604 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.7% 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.
Albuquerque Public Schools also operates Volcano Vista High (2,089 students) and Atrisco Heritage Academy Hs (1,930 students) alongside South Valley Academy.
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 South Valley Academy compares
South Valley Academy 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 | 12.1:1 | ▼ 14% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.5% | ▲ 23% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 604 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
604
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% above 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
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 34% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
21.7%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 604 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 42 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.1 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
White 73.5%
Hispanic or Latino 14.4%
Two or More 11.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 73.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.6, South Valley Academy is more mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Albuquerque Public Schools, which includes South Valley Academy.
$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 South Valley Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volcano Vista High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Atrisco Heritage Academy Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| La Cueva High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sandia High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eldorado High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Valley Academy'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
- 1,826
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- 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
Similar other 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 (~604 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Valley Academy's federal record.
- Compare South Valley Academy 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 South Valley Academy
How many students attend South Valley Academy?
South Valley Academy has 604 students enrolled. It is a public school in Albuquerque, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Valley Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at South Valley Academy is 12.1:1, which is 14% lower than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 23% 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 South Valley Academy?
99.5% of students at South Valley Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Valley Academy?
The largest demographic group at South Valley Academy is White at 73.5% of enrollment, in Albuquerque, NM.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Valley Academy?
South Valley Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 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 South Valley Academy rank among schools in Albuquerque?
By Resource Investment Index, South Valley Academy ranks #44 of 102 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 schools in Albuquerque on the city page.
Is South Valley Academy a good school?
South Valley Academy earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Mexico median. 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 South Valley Academy, Albuquerque Public Schools also operates Volcano Vista High (2,089 students), Atrisco Heritage Academy Hs (1,930 students), and La Cueva High (1,826 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.