Van Buren Middle

Summary:

Van Buren Middle is a public middle school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, serving 398 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Albuquerque school district, which is ranked 89 out of 119 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Unfortunately, Van Buren Middle has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of New Mexico middle schools over the past decade, with a current ranking of 233 out of 235 middle schools in the state.

Van Buren Middle significantly underperforms compared to the Albuquerque and New Mexico averages across all tested subjects, with only 14% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and just 5% proficient in Math. The school also struggles to serve its diverse student population, ranking in the bottom 10-20% of New Mexico middle schools for most subgroups, including female, male, Hispanic, White, and English Language Learner students. Additionally, Van Buren Middle has a 100% free and reduced-price lunch rate, indicating that all students come from low-income households, and a relatively high student-teacher ratio compared to nearby schools.

The data reveals a stark contrast between Van Buren Middle and the nearby middle schools in the Albuquerque district, such as Madison Middle, Jefferson Middle, and Jackson Middle, which significantly outperform Van Buren across academic metrics, student subgroup performance, and socioeconomic indicators. This persistent low performance and equity concerns highlight the need for a comprehensive, data-driven approach to address the underlying challenges and ensure that all students at Van Buren Middle have the opportunity to succeed.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 700 Louisiana SE
       Albuquerque, NM  87108


(505) 268-3833

District: Albuquerque

SchoolDigger Rank:
233rd of 235 New Mexico Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,473 Help


Students who attend Van Buren Middle usually attend:

High:    Highland High

Feeder schools for Van Buren Middle:

Elementary:    Emerson Elementary
    Manzano Mesa Elementary
    Sandia Base Elementary
    Wherry Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  14.2 Help
Number of students:  398

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
70.9%
White:
8.0%
American Indian:
7.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated New Mexico middle schools

 Compare Van Buren Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Van Buren Middle ranks worse than 99.1% of middle schools in New Mexico. It also ranks 26th among 27 ranked middle schools in the Albuquerque School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 8.16. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (70.9%), White (8%), American Indian (7.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Van Buren Middle is 14.2. 21 middle schools in the Albuquerque School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Van Buren Middle employs 27.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Van Buren Middle is $11,473, which is the 7th highest among 27 middle schools in the Albuquerque School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Van Buren Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Van Buren Middle 233rd of 235 New Mexico public middle schools. (See Van Buren Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Albuquerque:

SchoolDigger ranks Albuquerque 89th of 119 New Mexico school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Van Buren Middle?

Rank History for Van Buren Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Van Buren Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 22.55 128th 157 18.5%
2006 17.39 141st 156 9.6%
2007 25.03 136th 171 20.5%
2008 24.11 139th 172 19.2%
2009 16.84 155th 178 12.9%
2010 15.14 162nd 179 9.5%
2011 19.26 150th 173 13.3%
2012 18.00 154th 178 13.5%
2013 22.59 154th 193 20.2%
2014 22.97 185th 222 16.7%
2015 24.75 165th 207 20.3%
2016 17.05 194th 208 6.7%
2017 10.81 171st 176 2.8%
2018 11.70 182nd 186 2.2%
2019 14.43 181st 200 9.5%
2022 11.46 211th 232 9.1%
2023 10.32 236th 239 1.3%
2024 8.16 233rd 235 0.9%
See the entire list of New Mexico Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Van Buren Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 25.34 55th 65 15.4%
2023 10.64 51st 53 3.8%
2024 9.23 25th 27 7.4%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Van Buren Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 18.03 20th 21 4.8%
2022 13.39 68th 69 1.4%
2024 8.59 91st 91 0.0%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Van Buren Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 13.99 52nd 54 3.7%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Van Buren Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.74 165th 168 1.8%
2019 17.50 155th 175 11.4%
2022 13.44 190th 223 14.8%
2023 9.97 225th 227 0.9%
2024 10.23 105th 107 1.9%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Van Buren Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.10 140th 156 10.3%
2019 21.60 133rd 160 16.9%
2022 11.53 186th 220 15.5%
2023 10.02 212th 213 0.5%
2024 8.26 217th 217 0.0%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Van Buren Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 20.45 35th 37 5.4%
2024 5.17 10th 10 0.0%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Van Buren Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 9.17 150th 151 0.7%
2019 9.46 151st 152 0.7%
2022 11.05 184th 213 13.6%
2023 8.23 220th 221 0.5%
2024 7.40 219th 219 0.0%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Van Buren Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.07 148th 149 0.7%
2019 12.79 140th 150 6.7%
2022 9.89 184th 214 14.0%
2023 8.52 204th 204 0.0%
2024 7.74 203rd 206 1.5%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Van Buren Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 25.59 48th 67 28.4%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Van Buren Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.56 79th 120 34.2%
2019 45.22 61st 121 49.6%
2022 28.79 138th 187 26.2%
2023 8.04 228th 229 0.4%
2024 6.25 179th 181 1.1%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle 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.

Van Buren Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: New Mexico Public Education Department

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)
0%

100%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a teacher
Thursday, May 3, 2012

Open Quote This school sometimes gets a bad rap largely because of the neighborhood it serves, 'the warzone'. It is the area in the whole city with the highest crime and generally some of the bleaker and more bitter conditions. Van Buren has improved greatly over the last 2 years under new administration. The students test scores and general academic and have been rising precipitously. Generally staff commitment is at least as good as anywhere and perhaps better. Its a tough area, and a tough job, but the job is getting done to serve the youth of the SE Abq area. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Van Buren Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 309 67 28 303 67 n/a n/a 0 774
1991 296 73 24 359 65 n/a n/a 0 817
1992 351 69 30 403 98 n/a n/a 0 951
1993 337 63 47 355 92 n/a n/a 0 894
1994 336 79 30 365 103 n/a n/a 0 913
1995 240 75 34 401 100 n/a n/a 0 850
1996 240 75 34 401 100 n/a n/a 0 850
1997 221 53 33 398 84 n/a n/a 0 789
1998 236 47 39 397 69 n/a n/a 0 788
1999 172 59 35 452 60 n/a n/a 0 778
2000 170 52 34 397 66 n/a n/a 0 719
2001 153 45 38 393 50 n/a n/a 0 679
2002 114 35 29 395 57 n/a n/a 0 630
2003 114 35 29 395 57 n/a n/a 0 630
2004 91 37 27 382 70 n/a n/a 0 607
2005 88 43 25 394 59 n/a n/a 0 609
2006 95 34 26 425 62 n/a n/a 0 642
2007 79 37 15 378 43 n/a n/a 0 552
2008 80 35 15 404 40 n/a n/a 0 574
2009 64 36 14 389 45 n/a n/a 0 548
2010 55 27 18 446 49 0 13 0 608
2011 56 28 15 437 42 0 11 0 589
2012 48 21 15 442 30 1 11 0 568
2013 39 23 21 408 31 0 9 0 531
2014 44 18 14 420 36 0 15 0 547
2015 41 23 14 415 35 3 13 0 544
2016 41 35 6 420 43 2 14 0 561
2017 35 40 4 439 43 1 8 0 570
2018 41 35 4 388 35 2 17 0 522
2019 41 26 4 392 39 2 15 0 519
2020 46 39 10 382 38 1 17 0 533
2021 43 35 10 388 39 1 15 0 531
2022 36 34 4 301 30 2 15 0 422
2023 32 28 1 282 31 2 22 0 398

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 Van Buren Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 774 48.1 16.0 n/a
1991 817 50.7 16.1 n/a
1992 951 59.8 15.9 43.3
1993 894 56.2 15.9 n/a
1994 913 53.5 17.1 n/a
1995 850 65.1 13.1 n/a
1996 850 65.1 13.1 n/a
1997 789 56.9 13.9 n/a
1998 788 53.9 14.6 n/a
1999 778 54.0 14.4 64.5
2000 719 55.2 13.0 70.7
2001 679 51.1 13.3 77.9
2002 630 47.7 13.2 91.6
2003 630 47.7 13.2 91.6
2004 607 47.9 12.7 87.1
2005 609 44.0 13.8 81.9
2006 642 42.1 15.2 34.9
2007 552 43.0 12.8 99.5
2008 574 43.0 13.3 98.8
2009 548 44.8 12.2 99.5
2010 608 43.7 13.9 99.5
2011 589 42.2 13.9 99.5
2012 568 39.0 14.5 99.5
2013 531 39.5 13.4 96.6
2014 547 40.9 13.3 99.3
2015 544 45.0 12.0 83.3
2016 561 48.0 11.6 100
2017 570 38.0 14.9 100
2018 522 40.4 12.9 100
2019 519 40.4 12.8 98.3
2020 533 40.3 13.2 100
2021 531 31.0 17.1 100
2022 422 25.5 16.5 100
2023 398 27.9 14.2 100

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 Van Buren Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 774 48.1 16.0 n/a
1991 817 50.7 16.1 n/a
1992 951 59.8 15.9 43.3
1993 894 56.2 15.9 n/a
1994 913 53.5 17.1 n/a
1995 850 65.1 13.1 n/a
1996 850 65.1 13.1 n/a
1997 789 56.9 13.9 n/a
1998 788 53.9 14.6 n/a
1999 778 54.0 14.4 64.5
2000 719 55.2 13.0 70.7
2001 679 51.1 13.3 77.9
2002 630 47.7 13.2 91.6
2003 630 47.7 13.2 91.6
2004 607 47.9 12.7 87.1
2005 609 44.0 13.8 81.9
2006 642 42.1 15.2 34.9
2007 552 43.0 12.8 99.5
2008 574 43.0 13.3 98.8
2009 548 44.8 12.2 99.5
2010 608 43.7 13.9 99.5
2011 589 42.2 13.9 99.5
2012 568 39.0 14.5 99.5
2013 531 39.5 13.4 96.6
2014 547 40.9 13.3 99.3
2015 544 45.0 12.0 83.3
2016 561 48.0 11.6 100
2017 570 38.0 14.9 100
2018 522 40.4 12.9 100
2019 519 40.4 12.8 98.3
2020 533 40.3 13.2 100
2021 531 31.0 17.1 100
2022 422 25.5 16.5 100
2023 398 27.9 14.2 100

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 Van Buren Middle

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $11,473

Data source: New Mexico Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Van Buren Middle

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 181st of 200 Middle schoolsRanks 236th of 239 Middle schools
 8.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Language Arts (Van Buren Middle)1214.3
 2.3%
   6th Grade Language Arts (Albuquerque)2633.5
 7.5%
   6th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3132.9
 1.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Van Buren Middle)414.2
 10.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Albuquerque)1731.9
 14.9%
   6th Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)1932.5
 13.5%
7th Grade Language Arts (Van Buren Middle)2114.8
 6.2%
   7th Grade Language Arts (Albuquerque)2637
 11%
   7th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3134.8
 3.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Van Buren Middle)119.6
 1.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Albuquerque)1927
 8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)1924.8
 5.8%
8th Grade Language Arts (Van Buren Middle)1318.1
 5.1%
   8th Grade Language Arts (Albuquerque)2935.3
 6.3%
   8th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3133.2
 2.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Van Buren Middle)45.8
 1.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Albuquerque)1819.5
 1.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)2019.7
 0.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students519398
 23.3%
African American2628
 7.7%
American Indian3931
 20.5%
Asian41
 75%
Hispanic392282
 28.1%
Pacific Islander22
White4132
 22%
Two or More Races1522
 46.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients98.3%100%
 1.7%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Van Buren Middle

Van Buren Middle ranks in the bottom 0.9% of New Mexico middle schools.

Students at Van Buren Middle are 71% Hispanic, 8% White, 8% American Indian, 7% African American, 6% Two or more races.

Students who attend Van Buren Middle usually go on to attend Highland High

In the 2022-23 school year, 398 students attended Van Buren Middle.


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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.





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