Enrollment
305
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Los Alamos, NM
Topper Freshman Academy
Federal NCES profile for Topper Freshman Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 350165001122
👥 S:T ratio 28
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Topper Freshman Academy earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of New Mexico schools.
- #2 of 6
- public schools in Los Alamos · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 12.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Topper Freshman Academy has class sizes larger than 87% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Topper Freshman Academy ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Los Alamos, NM.
School address
District: Los Alamos Public Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350165001122 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.8%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-84% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Topper Freshman Academy compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Topper Freshman Academy
Topper Freshman Academy is a lower-poverty, mid-sized high school in Los Alamos, New Mexico, enrolling 305 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.9:1 is larger than about 87% of New Mexico schools and 28% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 12.8% free-meal eligibility runs 84% below the New Mexico average.
With 305 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 31 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #15.
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 305 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
16.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Los Alamos Public Schools spends $12,646 per pupil, 24% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Los Alamos Public Schools also operates Los Alamos High (1,181 students) and Los Alamos Middle (543 students) alongside Topper Freshman 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 Topper Freshman Academy compares
Topper Freshman 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 28% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.8% | ▼ 84% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 305 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
305
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 84% below the New Mexico average of 80.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 87% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
16.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,646
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 305 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Los Alamos Public Schools, which includes Topper Freshman Academy.
$12,646
Per student
-24%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.6%
State 61.1%
Federal 18.3%
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 Topper Freshman Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Alamos High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Los Alamos Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mountain Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Barranca Mesa Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Aspen Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Topper Freshman Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,181
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 543
- Students per teacher
- 10.9:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 429
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 428
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar high 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 (~305 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Topper Freshman Academy's federal record.
- Compare Topper Freshman Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Los Alamos 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 Topper Freshman Academy
How many students attend Topper Freshman Academy?
Topper Freshman Academy has 305 students enrolled. It is a high school in Los Alamos, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Topper Freshman Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Topper Freshman Academy is 17.9:1, which is 28% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Topper Freshman Academy?
12.8% of students at Topper Freshman Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Topper Freshman Academy?
Topper Freshman Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Topper Freshman Academy rank among public schools in Los Alamos?
By Resource Investment Index, Topper Freshman Academy ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Los Alamos, 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 Los Alamos on the city page.
Is Topper Freshman Academy a good school?
Topper Freshman Academy earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Los Alamos Public Schools?
Besides Topper Freshman Academy, Los Alamos Public Schools also operates Los Alamos High (1,181 students), Los Alamos Middle (543 students), and Mountain Elementary (435 students). See the Los Alamos 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.