Elementary Schools in Las Cruces

The 25 elementary schools in Las Cruces, New Mexico serve students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. While the Las Cruces school district is ranked 63 out of 119 districts in the state, the performance of individual schools varies greatly, with some standout institutions and others struggling to meet academic standards.

At the top of the district are Desert Hills Elementary and White Sands Elementary, both of which have earned 5-star ratings from SchoolDigger and rank among the top 50 elementary schools statewide. These high-performing schools boast proficiency rates well above the district and state averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. In contrast, schools like Booker T. Washington and Valley View Elementary struggle, with proficiency rates as low as 7% and 9% in Mathematics, respectively.

Despite the economic challenges faced by the district, with all 25 schools having 100% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, some high-poverty schools are able to overcome this barrier and achieve strong academic results. Understanding the factors that contribute to these disparities in performance can inform strategies to raise the bar for all students in the Las Cruces school system.