Enrollment
270
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Las Cruces, NM
White Sands Elementary
Federal NCES profile for White Sands Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 350150000397
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
White Sands Elementary earns 39/100 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.
- #13 of 25
- schools in Las Cruces · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.9:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
White Sands Elementary has class sizes near the New Mexico median. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, White Sands Elementary ranks #13 of 25 schools in Las Cruces, NM.
School address
District: Las Cruces Public Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350150000397 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How White Sands Elementary compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at White Sands Elementary
White Sands Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Las Cruces, New Mexico, enrolling 270 students.
At 12.9:1, 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.
With 270 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Mexico median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Against 245 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #131.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (42%) and White (42%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 59.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Las Cruces Public Schools spends $12,237 per pupil, 27% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Las Cruces Public Schools also operates Organ Mountain High School (2,128 students) and Centennial High School (1,713 students) alongside White Sands 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 Sands Elementary compares
White Sands 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 8% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 270 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
270
Bigger than 28% 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
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 44% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
59.6%
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
$12,237
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
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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 42.2%
White 41.5%
Two or More 11.1%
African American 3.0%
Asian 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 42.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.6, White Sands 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 Las Cruces Public Schools, which includes White Sands Elementary.
$12,237
Per student
-27%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.6%
State 69.4%
Federal 17.0%
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 White Sands Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organ Mountain High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Las Cruces High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mayfield High | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Camino Real Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to White Sands Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,128
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,713
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,703
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,327
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 933
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
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 (~270 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on White Sands Elementary's federal record.
- Compare White Sands Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Las Cruces 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 White Sands Elementary
How many students attend White Sands Elementary?
White Sands Elementary has 270 students enrolled. It is a public school in Las Cruces, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at White Sands Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at White Sands Elementary is 12.9:1, which is 8% lower than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 18% 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 Sands Elementary?
100.0% of students at White Sands Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of White Sands Elementary?
The largest demographic group at White Sands Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 42.2% of enrollment, in Las Cruces, NM. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for White Sands Elementary?
White Sands Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 White Sands Elementary rank among schools in Las Cruces?
By Resource Investment Index, White Sands Elementary ranks #13 of 25 schools in Las Cruces, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Las Cruces on the city page.
Is White Sands Elementary a good school?
White Sands Elementary earns 39/100 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 Las Cruces Public Schools?
Besides White Sands Elementary, Las Cruces Public Schools also operates Organ Mountain High School (2,128 students), Centennial High School (1,713 students), and Las Cruces High (1,703 students). See the Las Cruces 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.