Best Public Schools in Lake Arthur, NM

The city of Lake Arthur, New Mexico is home to three schools that serve students from elementary through high school, all part of the Lake Arthur Municipal Schools district. While the schools share some common challenges, such as high poverty levels and predominantly Hispanic student populations, they also exhibit distinct strengths and weaknesses in their academic performance and state-wide rankings.

Lake Arthur Elementary has experienced a significant decline in its state-wide ranking, falling from a 4-star rating and top 87 placement in 2012-2013 to the bottom 373 and 333 in subsequent years. However, the school maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 9.6, which could be a positive factor. Lake Arthur Middle has also seen its ranking drop, from a high of 38th in the state in 2021-2022 to 108th out of 239 middle schools in 2022-2023, but it boasts the lowest student-teacher ratio of the three schools at 8.0.

In contrast, Lake Arthur High has maintained a more consistent middle-of-the-pack ranking, ranging from 74th out of 181 high schools in 2018-2019 to 167th out of 193 in 2014-2015. The high school also stands out with a more diverse racial makeup, with 22.5% white and 2.5% African American students, compared to the predominantly Hispanic populations at the elementary and middle schools. Despite these differences, all three Lake Arthur schools share the challenge of a 100% free and reduced lunch rate, indicating a high-need student population in the community.