Enrollment
374
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ruidoso, NM
White Mountain Elementary
Federal NCES profile for White Mountain Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 350231000530
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
White Mountain Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Mexico median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New Mexico schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Ruidoso · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
White Mountain Elementary has class sizes near the New Mexico median. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, White Mountain Elementary ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Ruidoso, NM.
School address
District: Ruidoso Municipal Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350231000530 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How White Mountain Elementary compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at White Mountain Elementary
White Mountain Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Ruidoso, New Mexico, enrolling 374 students.
At 13.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the New Mexico median, within a few percentage points of the 14:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 100.0% lands close to the New Mexico typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 374 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 285 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #80.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and White (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 374 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Ruidoso Municipal Schools spends $12,251 per pupil, 26% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Ruidoso Municipal Schools also operates Ruidoso High (527 students) and Sierra Vista Primary (514 students) alongside White Mountain 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 White Mountain Elementary compares
White Mountain 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 | 13.4:1 | ▼ 4% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 374 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
374
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 51% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
29.4%
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
$12,251
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 374 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.1 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 56.1%
White 24.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 14.4%
Two or More 2.9%
Asian 1.3%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.2, White Mountain 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 Ruidoso Municipal Schools, which includes White Mountain Elementary.
$12,251
Per student
-26%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.9%
State 64.3%
Federal 12.9%
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 White Mountain Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruidoso High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sierra Vista Primary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ruidoso Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to White Mountain Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 527
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 514
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 373
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
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 (~374 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on White Mountain Elementary's federal record.
- Compare White Mountain Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Ruidoso Municipal 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 White Mountain Elementary
How many students attend White Mountain Elementary?
White Mountain Elementary has 374 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ruidoso, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at White Mountain Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at White Mountain Elementary is 13.4:1, which is 4% lower than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 15% 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 White Mountain Elementary?
100.0% of students at White Mountain Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of White Mountain Elementary?
The largest demographic group at White Mountain Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 56.1% of enrollment, in Ruidoso, NM. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for White Mountain Elementary?
White Mountain Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 White Mountain Elementary rank among public schools in Ruidoso?
By Resource Investment Index, White Mountain Elementary ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Ruidoso, 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 Ruidoso on the city page.
Is White Mountain Elementary a good school?
White Mountain Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Mexico median. 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 Ruidoso Municipal Schools?
Besides White Mountain Elementary, Ruidoso Municipal Schools also operates Ruidoso High (527 students), Sierra Vista Primary (514 students), and Ruidoso Middle (373 students). See the Ruidoso Municipal 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.