Independence High School

Summary:

Independence High School is a public high school located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, serving grades 9-12 with a relatively small student population of 211 students. The school is part of the Rio Rancho School District, which is ranked 30 out of 119 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite being part of the same district as higher-performing schools like Cleveland High School and Rio Rancho High, Independence High School has consistently underperformed on key metrics. The school has ranked in the bottom half of New Mexico high schools, with only 19% of students proficient or better in science compared to 55% in the Rio Rancho district and 36% statewide. Independence High School also has relatively low four-year graduation rates, ranging from 50.2% to 87.0% over the past few years, lower than nearby high schools.

The data suggests that Independence High School may be serving a more economically disadvantaged population, with a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 46.91% to 100% over the past few years. This is significantly higher than the nearby high schools. The school's performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as female students and Hispanic students, indicating a need for targeted interventions and support programs to help the school better serve its diverse student population and close the performance gap with other high schools in the district and state.

Detail:

Public 9-12

421 Quantum Rd NE
Rio Rancho, NM 87124

(505) 338-4658

District: Rio Rancho

SchoolDigger Rank:
173^rd of 190 New Mexico High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,601

Student/teacher ratio: 17.5

Number of students: 202

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

66.8%

White:

14.4%

Two or more races:

9.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 56.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Independence High School ranks worse than 91.1% of high schools in New Mexico. It also ranks last among 4 ranked high schools in the Rio Rancho School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.88. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Independence High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (66.8%), White (14.4%), two or more races (9.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 56.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Rio Rancho School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Independence High School is 17.5, which is the 2^nd best among 4 high schools in the Rio Rancho School District. (See more...)

Compare Independence High School employs 11.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Independence High School is $10,601, which is the highest among 4 high schools in the Rio Rancho School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Independence High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence High School 173^rd of 190 New Mexico public high schools. (See Independence High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Rio Rancho:

SchoolDigger ranks Rio Rancho 30^th of 119 New Mexico school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Independence High School

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Rank History for all students at Independence High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NM State Percentile
2005	13.30	114^th	129	11.6%
2006	4.19	132^nd	134	1.5%
2007	7.60	141^st	150	6.0%
2008	16.77	124^th	146	15.1%
2009	13.99	135^th	151	10.6%
2010	13.44	134^th	154	13.0%
2011	8.13	146^th	157	7.0%
2012	15.04	139^th	163	14.7%
2013	16.94	147^th	177	16.9%
2014	34.28	139^th	198	29.8%
2015	29.13	131^st	193	32.1%
2016	25.19	140^th	185	24.3%
2017	7.44	157^th	158	0.6%
2018	7.51	179^th	182	1.6%
2019	10.23	170^th	181	6.1%
2022	25.27	119^th	177	32.8%
2024	14.88	173^rd	190	8.9%

See the entire list of New Mexico High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Independence High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NM State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	7.42	161^st	164	1.8%
2024	15.22	140^th	154	9.1%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Independence High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NM State Percentile
2019	11.06	140^th	144	2.8%
2022	15.00	146^th	157	7.0%
2024	13.44	146^th	153	4.6%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Independence High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NM State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	29.56	118^th	159	25.8%
2024	10.90	151^st	159	5.0%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Independence High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NM State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	10.18	137^th	142	3.5%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Independence High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NM State Percentile
2019	2.91	109^th	109	0.0%
2022	23.04	109^th	133	18.0%
2024	13.15	142^nd	155	8.4%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: New Mexico Public Education Department, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: New Mexico Public Education Department

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Enrollment information for Independence High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2000	94	5	1	74	6	n/a	n/a	180
2001	141	5	1	83	13	n/a	n/a	243
2002	142	6	2	141	22	n/a	n/a	313
2003	142	6	2	141	22	n/a	n/a	313
2004	156	7	6	184	31	n/a	n/a	384
2005	140	14	3	159	25	n/a	n/a	341
2006	103	14	0	119	20	n/a	n/a	256
2007	106	9	1	109	22	n/a	n/a	247
2008	70	8	2	88	13	n/a	n/a	181
2009	84	11	4	109	13	n/a	n/a	221
2010	60	4	3	174	7	0	0	248
2011	85	8	0	127	4	0	5	229
2012	77	9	2	104	13	0	1	206
2013	89	14	2	109	18	0	5	237
2014	61	8	1	120	13	0	3	206
2015	61	5	1	115	8	1	2	193
2016	48	9	0	116	13	1	3	190
2017	36	10	0	121	15	0	4	186
2018	37	5	0	113	7	0	8	170
2019	39	5	0	128	11	0	11	194
2020	32	1	0	126	19	0	9	187
2021	37	3	1	122	23	2	6	194
2022	36	2	0	140	19	1	12	210
2023	37	2	2	143	16	1	10	211
2024	29	1	1	135	17	0	19	202

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Independence High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	180	11.3	15.9	0
2001	243	14.1	17.2	0
2002	313	12.0	26.1	0
2003	313	12.0	26.1	0
2004	384	21.8	17.6	0
2005	341	21.0	16.2	0
2006	256	21.2	12.1	16
2007	247	18.0	13.7	19.4
2008	181	16.7	10.8	14.4
2009	221	14.5	15.2	33.9
2010	248	14.2	17.4	43.1
2011	229	14.2	16.0	56.3
2012	206	14.4	14.2	70.4
2013	237	13.9	16.9	60.8
2014	206	13.8	14.8	54.9
2015	193	14.0	13.7	51.3
2016	190	14.0	13.5	54.2
2017	186	15.0	12.3	58.1
2018	170	13.7	12.3	60.6
2019	194	13.5	14.3	52.6
2020	187	13.0	14.3	49.2
2021	194	13.3	14.5	46.9
2022	210	15.3	13.6	56.2
2023	211	16.0	13.1	100
2024	202	11.4	17.5	56.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Independence High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	180	11.3	15.9	0
2001	243	14.1	17.2	0
2002	313	12.0	26.1	0
2003	313	12.0	26.1	0
2004	384	21.8	17.6	0
2005	341	21.0	16.2	0
2006	256	21.2	12.1	16
2007	247	18.0	13.7	19.4
2008	181	16.7	10.8	14.4
2009	221	14.5	15.2	33.9
2010	248	14.2	17.4	43.1
2011	229	14.2	16.0	56.3
2012	206	14.4	14.2	70.4
2013	237	13.9	16.9	60.8
2014	206	13.8	14.8	54.9
2015	193	14.0	13.7	51.3
2016	190	14.0	13.5	54.2
2017	186	15.0	12.3	58.1
2018	170	13.7	12.3	60.6
2019	194	13.5	14.3	52.6
2020	187	13.0	14.3	49.2
2021	194	13.3	14.5	46.9
2022	210	15.3	13.6	56.2
2023	211	16.0	13.1	100
2024	202	11.4	17.5	56.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Independence High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$10,601

Data source: New Mexico Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 170^th of 181 High schools	Ranks 119^th of 177 High schools	26.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Language Arts (Independence High School)	7	13.2	6.2%
11th Grade Language Arts (Rio Rancho)	55	46.4	8.6%
11th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)	40	33.1	6.9%
11th Grade Science (Independence High School)	11	35.2	24.2%
11th Grade Science (Rio Rancho)	45	62.9	17.9%
11th Grade Science (New Mexico)	25	40.2	15.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	194	211	8.8%
African American	5	2	60%
American Indian	11	16	45.5%
Asian	0	2
Hispanic	128	143	11.7%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	39	37	5.1%
Two or More Races	11	10	9.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	52.6%	100%	47.4%

Schools Near Independence High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SAT School Day English Language Arts (2024)	SAT School Day Mathematics (2024)	NM-ASR Science (2024)	NM-MSSA English Language Arts (2024)	NM-MSSA Mathematics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SAT School Day English Language Arts 11th Grade	SAT School Day Mathematics 11th Grade	NM-ASR Science All Grades	NM-MSSA English Language Arts All Grades	NM-MSSA Mathematics All Grades	Total
Independence High School	Public	9-12	421 Quantum Rd NE	Rio Rancho	87124	Sandoval County	Rio Rancho	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(505) 338-4658	202	11	17.5	56.4%	29 (14.4%)	1 (0.5%)	135 (66.8%)	1 (0.5%)	17 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (9.4%)	14.9	173^rd of 190 public high schools	8.9%					(n/a)	14.0		19.0			$10,601
The Ask Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	4550 Sundt Rd NE	Rio Rancho	87124	Sandoval County	The Ask Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(505) 891-0757	592	40	14.9	15.0%	281 (47.5%)	15 (2.5%)	262 (44.3%)	12 (2.0%)	10 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.0%)	93.3	11^th of 190 public high schools	94.2%		97.1	9^th of 170 public high schools	94.7%	2	80.0	35.0	75.0	65.0	43.0	$7,130
Rio Rancho High	Public	9-12	301 Loma Colorado Dr NE	Rio Rancho	87124	Sandoval County	Rio Rancho	No	(n/a)	No	No	(505) 896-5600	2,554	108	23.5	35.8%	772 (30.2%)	43 (1.7%)	1,503 (58.8%)	32 (1.3%)	71 (2.8%)	2 (0.1%)	131 (5.1%)	80.8	31^st of 190 public high schools	83.7%		72.4	41^st of 170 public high schools	75.9%	10	48.0	18.0	67.0			$7,582
Rio Rancho Cyber Academy	Public, Virtual	6-12	1330 Jackie Rd SE	Rio Rancho	87124	Sandoval County	Rio Rancho	No	(n/a)	Yes	No	(505) 892-7222	153	9	16.1	26.1%	74 (48.4%)	4 (2.6%)	66 (43.1%)	2 (1.3%)	4 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.0%)	92.3	14^th of 190 public high schools	92.6%		97.7	8^th of 170 public high schools	95.3%	6	83.0	30.0	87.0	77.0	66.0	$8,965
Cleveland High School	Public	9-12	4800 Cleveland Heights Rd NE	Rio Rancho	87144	Sandoval County	Rio Rancho	No	(n/a)	No	No	(505) 938-0300	2,625	105	25.1	32.4%	667 (25.4%)	70 (2.7%)	1,558 (59.4%)	26 (1.0%)	149 (5.7%)	4 (0.2%)	151 (5.8%)	83.3	26^th of 190 public high schools	86.3%		77.7	36^th of 170 public high schools	78.8%	10	50.0	18.0	68.0			$7,561
Cibola High	Public	9-12	1510 Ellison Dr NW	Albuquerque	87114	Bernalillo County	Albuquerque	No	(n/a)	No	No	(505) 897-0110	1,622	92	17.6	60.9%	340 (21.0%)	46 (2.8%)	1,030 (63.5%)	39 (2.4%)	107 (6.6%)	1 (0.1%)	59 (3.6%)	74.8	37^th of 190 public high schools	80.5%		36	95^th of 170 public high schools	44.1%	58	50.0	16.0	56.0			$8,681
Bernalillo High	Public	9-12	250 Isidro Sanchez Rd	Bernalillo	87004	Sandoval County	Bernalillo	No	(n/a)	No	No	(505) 867-2388	856	51	16.7	100.0%	23 (2.7%)	2 (0.2%)	414 (48.4%)	2 (0.2%)	379 (44.3%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (4.2%)	19.6	157^th of 190 public high schools	17.4%		13.8	155^th of 170 public high schools	8.8%	2	18.0	2.0	23.0			$11,179
Cottonwood Classical Prep	Public, Charter	6-12	7801 Jefferson St NE	Albuquerque	87109	Bernalillo County	Cottonwood Classical Prep	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(505) 998-1021	807	57	14.2	99.6%	299 (37.1%)	13 (1.6%)	417 (51.7%)	34 (4.2%)	14 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (3.7%)								(n/a)	89.0	58.0	75.0	73.0	52.0
La Cueva High	Public	9-12	7801 Wilshire NE	Albuquerque	87122	Bernalillo County	Albuquerque	No	(n/a)	No	No	(505) 823-2327	1,831	98	18.6	37.2%	717 (39.2%)	24 (1.3%)	801 (43.7%)	158 (8.6%)	47 (2.6%)	3 (0.2%)	81 (4.4%)	95.6	6^th of 190 public high schools	96.8%		98.2	6^th of 170 public high schools	96.5%		68.0	41.0	68.0			$7,910
Health Leadership High School	Public, Charter	9-12	6401 Jefferson Street NE	Albuquerque	87109	Bernalillo County	Albuquerque	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(505) 750-4547	226	7	30.9	68.6%	29 (12.8%)	7 (3.1%)	183 (81.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16.5	166^th of 190 public high schools	12.6%					(n/a)	18.0		10.0			$10,187

Frequently Asked Questions about Independence High School

What is the racial makeup of Independence High School?

Students at Independence High School are 67% Hispanic, 14% White, 9% Two or more races, 8% American Indian.

How many students attend Independence High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 202 students attended Independence High School.

Is Independence High School a good school?

Independence High School ranks in the bottom 8.9% of New Mexico high schools.

What district is Independence High School in?

Rio Rancho

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Mexico Public Education Department.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.