Enrollment
436
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Alamogordo, NM
Sunset Hills Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sunset Hills Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 350003000004
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunset Hills Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of New Mexico schools.
- #3 of 4
- elementary schools in Alamogordo · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.6:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 53.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunset Hills Elementary has class sizes larger than 72% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Hills Elementary ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Alamogordo, NM.
School address
District: Alamogordo Public Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350003000004 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.0%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sunset Hills Elementary compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sunset Hills Elementary
Sunset Hills Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Alamogordo, New Mexico, enrolling 436 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.6:1 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 53.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 436 puts it in the larger third of New Mexico schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Against 33 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #21.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (59%) and White (28%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 436 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.7% 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 Sunset Hills 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 Sunset Hills Elementary compares
Sunset Hills 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 | 15.6:1 | ▲ 11% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.0% | ▼ 34% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 436 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
436
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.0%
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
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 72% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.7%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 436 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.0 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 58.7%
White 28.4%
African American 5.5%
Two or More 4.6%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 58.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.9, Sunset Hills 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 Sunset Hills 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 Sunset Hills Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alamogordo High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Holloman Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chaparral Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Middle | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Star Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunset Hills 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 (~436 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sunset Hills Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sunset Hills 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 Sunset Hills Elementary
How many students attend Sunset Hills Elementary?
Sunset Hills Elementary has 436 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Alamogordo, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunset Hills Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunset Hills Elementary is 15.6:1, which is 11% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sunset Hills Elementary?
53.0% of students at Sunset Hills Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunset Hills Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sunset Hills Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 58.7% of enrollment, in Alamogordo, NM. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunset Hills Elementary?
Sunset Hills Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Sunset Hills Elementary rank among elementary schools in Alamogordo?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Hills Elementary ranks #3 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 Sunset Hills Elementary a good school?
Sunset Hills Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% 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 Sunset Hills 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.