Magdalena

The Magdalena Municipal Schools district in New Mexico consists of three schools: Magdalena Elementary, Magdalena High, and Magdalena Middle. These schools serve a predominantly low-income student population, with all three schools having extremely high rates of free and reduced lunch recipients.

Among the standout schools, Magdalena Middle stands out as the highest-performing in the district, earning a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranking 109 out of 239 middle schools in New Mexico. This is a significant improvement from its previous 1-star rating, indicating that the school has made positive strides in its academic performance. In contrast, Magdalena High and Magdalena Elementary have lower rankings and 1-star ratings, suggesting room for improvement.

The schools in the Magdalena Municipal Schools district also exhibit a diverse racial makeup, with significant Hispanic and Native American student populations. This highlights the importance of ensuring that the curriculum, teaching practices, and school culture are inclusive and responsive to the needs of these diverse student groups. Given the similarities in the student populations and the challenges faced by these high-poverty schools, there may be opportunities for the district to collaborate, share best practices, and learn from each other's successes and challenges.