Best Public Schools in Santa Fe, NM

The city of Santa Fe, New Mexico is home to a diverse array of 42 schools, including 24 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 12 high schools, and 3 alternative schools. These schools span a wide range of academic performance, with some of the highest-ranked schools in the state alongside some of the lowest-performing.

Among the standout schools in Santa Fe are El Dorado Community School, a top-ranked elementary/middle school with exceptional test scores, and Mandela International Magnet (MIMS), a public high school ranked 5th in the state with very strong academic performance. Other high-achieving schools include Nm School For The Arts, which has the highest language arts proficiency rate in the data set, and Pinon Elementary, which boasts the highest math proficiency rate. In contrast, schools like El Camino Real Academy Community and Ramirez Thomas Elementary struggle with proficiency rates well below the state averages.

The data reveals stark socioeconomic disparities among Santa Fe's schools, with free and reduced lunch rates ranging from 16.67% at Wood-Gormley Elementary to 100% at several schools. This likely plays a significant role in the academic outcomes of these institutions. However, there are exceptions, such as Atalaya Elementary and Acequia Madre Elementary, which serve relatively affluent populations but still achieve exceptional results, suggesting that factors beyond just socioeconomic status contribute to a school's success.