1. Home
  2. New Mexico
  3. Belen
  4. Belen
  5. Belen Middle

Belen Middle

Summary:

Belen Middle School is a public middle school located in Belen, New Mexico, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 528 students. The school is part of the Belen Consolidated School District, which is ranked 61 out of 119 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Belen Middle School's academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science, is consistently below the state averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 37% in ELA, 12% in Mathematics, and 24% in Science, compared to the state averages of 39%, 25%, and 36%, respectively. When compared to the nearby Central Elementary School, Belen Middle School's proficiency rates are higher in all three subject areas, indicating a potential academic decline as students transition from elementary to middle school. Compared to the other nearby middle schools, Los Lunas Middle and Valencia Middle, Belen Middle School's academic performance is generally lower, with Los Lunas Middle outperforming Belen Middle in all three subject areas.

Belen Middle School's performance varies across different student subgroups, with some subgroups performing better than others. Native American students at the school perform relatively well, ranking 17th out of 59 New Mexico middle schools in the 2023-2024 school year. In contrast, the school's performance for White students and students with disabilities is among the lowest in the state, ranking 149th out of 181 and 51st out of 52 middle schools, respectively. The high poverty concentration in the Belen area, with all nearby schools having a 100% free and reduced-price lunch rate, may be a significant factor contributing to the overall lower academic performance of the schools in the region.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 314 South 4th St
       Belen, NM  87002

(505) 966-1600

District: Belen

SchoolDigger Rank:
153rd of 235 New Mexico Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,375 Help


Students who attend Belen Middle usually attend:

High:    Belen High

Feeder schools for Belen Middle:

Elementary:    Dennis Chavez Elementary
    Gil Sanchez Elementary
    La Merced Elementary
    La Promesa Elementary
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  14.9 Help
Number of students:  493

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
79.5%
White:
14.8%
American Indian:
3.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  89.9% Help


 See top rated New Mexico middle schools

 Compare Belen Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Belen Middle ranks worse than 65.1% of middle schools in New Mexico. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.62. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (79.5%), White (14.8%), American Indian (3%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 89.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Belen Middle is 14.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Belen Middle employs 33 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Belen Middle is $9,375.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Belen Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Belen Middle 153rd of 235 New Mexico public middle schools. (See Belen Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Foster Care students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
Native American students:
White students:


Belen:

SchoolDigger ranks Belen 61st of 119 New Mexico school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Belen Middle?

Rank History for Belen Middle

Help
Compare

Rank History for all students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 31.74 105th 157 33.1%
2006 31.76 103rd 156 34.0%
2007 34.69 110th 171 35.7%
2008 43.32 89th 172 48.3%
2009 36.54 110th 178 38.2%
2010 37.18 109th 179 39.1%
2011 45.75 87th 173 49.7%
2012 52.43 77th 178 56.7%
2013 50.44 81st 193 58.0%
2014 44.78 119th 222 46.4%
2015 39.42 109th 207 47.3%
2016 28.56 151st 208 27.4%
2017 27.58 129th 176 26.7%
2018 29.76 128th 186 31.2%
2019 27.09 146th 200 27.0%
2022 16.95 192nd 232 17.2%
2023 33.30 152nd 239 36.4%
2024 31.62 153rd 235 34.9%
See the entire list of New Mexico Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 18.46 56th 69 18.8%
2023 30.53 44th 97 54.6%
2024 25.99 60th 91 34.1%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 19.19 82nd 100 18.0%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.20 101st 168 39.9%
2019 35.00 113th 175 35.4%
2022 20.57 168th 223 24.7%
2023 38.70 129th 227 43.2%
2024 33.64 63rd 107 41.1%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 24.17 30th 33 9.1%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.36 106th 156 32.1%
2019 22.04 130th 160 18.8%
2022 19.05 164th 220 25.5%
2023 29.25 149th 213 30.0%
2024 28.09 157th 217 27.6%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.44 51st 52 1.9%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 34.81 1st 1 0.0%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 56.03 16th 37 56.8%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.40 113th 151 25.2%
2019 27.77 112th 152 26.3%
2022 13.95 174th 213 18.3%
2023 32.24 141st 221 36.2%
2024 32.23 140th 219 36.1%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.41 99th 149 33.6%
2019 28.04 112th 150 25.3%
2022 16.57 164th 214 23.4%
2023 31.78 132nd 204 35.3%
2024 32.41 131st 206 36.4%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 73.05 15th 58 74.1%
2024 62.17 17th 59 71.2%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Belen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 9.73 116th 120 3.3%
2019 10.42 117th 121 3.3%
2022 9.38 184th 187 1.6%
2023 27.53 161st 229 29.7%
2024 20.61 149th 181 17.7%
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.

Belen Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
Help



Data source: New Mexico Public Education Department

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Belen Middle.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Belen Middle, submit a rating!


Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Belen Middle

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 258 10 2 385 1 n/a n/a 0 656
1991 214 8 1 426 5 n/a n/a 0 654
1992 218 9 1 470 5 n/a n/a 0 703
1993 250 12 2 444 7 n/a n/a 0 715
1994 243 8 1 456 9 n/a n/a 0 717
1995 205 6 2 518 4 n/a n/a 0 735
1996 205 6 2 518 4 n/a n/a 0 735
1997 254 5 3 461 10 n/a n/a 0 733
1998 265 11 2 485 4 n/a n/a 0 767
1999 237 16 2 515 16 n/a n/a 0 786
2000 241 10 8 527 15 n/a n/a 21 822
2001 237 9 8 513 15 n/a n/a 0 782
2002 242 16 3 556 17 n/a n/a 0 834
2003 242 16 3 556 17 n/a n/a 0 834
2004 243 11 1 521 14 n/a n/a 0 790
2005 224 15 4 509 23 n/a n/a 0 775
2006 209 17 3 492 21 n/a n/a 0 742
2007 196 17 2 493 18 n/a n/a 0 726
2008 198 11 4 484 6 n/a n/a 0 703
2009 171 19 3 477 10 n/a n/a 0 680
2010 159 19 2 506 13 0 0 0 699
2011 167 12 7 465 8 0 1 0 660
2012 149 13 2 448 6 0 2 0 620
2013 131 15 1 485 14 0 0 0 646
2014 128 10 2 444 13 0 2 0 599
2015 128 9 3 435 9 0 2 0 586
2016 105 6 1 443 7 0 2 0 564
2017 114 10 0 389 11 0 1 0 525
2018 116 10 0 378 9 2 1 0 516
2019 129 7 0 403 10 0 3 0 552
2020 112 7 0 428 11 1 4 0 563
2021 109 5 0 424 8 1 5 0 552
2022 110 7 0 436 14 0 5 0 572
2023 87 5 1 411 18 0 6 0 528
2024 73 9 1 392 15 0 3 0 493

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 Belen Middle

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 656 35.2 18.6 n/a
1991 654 36.6 17.8 n/a
1992 703 34.1 20.6 n/a
1993 715 35.4 20.2 n/a
1994 717 35.6 20.1 n/a
1995 735 45.9 16.0 n/a
1996 735 45.9 16.0 n/a
1997 733 45.4 16.1 n/a
1998 767 49.3 15.6 n/a
1999 786 53.1 14.8 57.6
2000 822 51.3 15.6 62
2001 782 54.2 14.4 71.6
2002 834 55.8 14.9 74.8
2003 834 55.8 14.9 74.8
2004 790 54.0 14.6 74.2
2005 775 49.1 15.8 72.8
2006 742 52.0 14.3 74.5
2007 726 47.0 15.4 66.7
2008 703 48.0 14.6 10.2
2009 680 46.0 14.8 78.5
2010 699 42.0 16.6 79.1
2011 660 37.0 17.8 80.6
2012 620 35.0 17.7 77.1
2013 646 34.0 19.0 77.9
2014 599 35.0 17.1 76.3
2015 586 33.0 17.7 67.2
2016 564 36.0 15.6 88.1
2017 525 33.9 15.4 100
2018 516 32.9 15.6 100
2019 552 31.9 17.3 100
2020 563 32.0 17.5 100
2021 552 32.0 17.2 100
2022 572 29.0 19.7 100
2023 528 32.0 16.5 100
2024 493 33.0 14.9 89.9

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 Belen Middle

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 656 35.2 18.6 n/a
1991 654 36.6 17.8 n/a
1992 703 34.1 20.6 n/a
1993 715 35.4 20.2 n/a
1994 717 35.6 20.1 n/a
1995 735 45.9 16.0 n/a
1996 735 45.9 16.0 n/a
1997 733 45.4 16.1 n/a
1998 767 49.3 15.6 n/a
1999 786 53.1 14.8 57.6
2000 822 51.3 15.6 62
2001 782 54.2 14.4 71.6
2002 834 55.8 14.9 74.8
2003 834 55.8 14.9 74.8
2004 790 54.0 14.6 74.2
2005 775 49.1 15.8 72.8
2006 742 52.0 14.3 74.5
2007 726 47.0 15.4 66.7
2008 703 48.0 14.6 10.2
2009 680 46.0 14.8 78.5
2010 699 42.0 16.6 79.1
2011 660 37.0 17.8 80.6
2012 620 35.0 17.7 77.1
2013 646 34.0 19.0 77.9
2014 599 35.0 17.1 76.3
2015 586 33.0 17.7 67.2
2016 564 36.0 15.6 88.1
2017 525 33.9 15.4 100
2018 516 32.9 15.6 100
2019 552 31.9 17.3 100
2020 563 32.0 17.5 100
2021 552 32.0 17.2 100
2022 572 29.0 19.7 100
2023 528 32.0 16.5 100
2024 493 33.0 14.9 89.9

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 Belen Middle

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $9,375

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Belen 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 146th of 200 Middle schoolsRanks 152nd of 239 Middle schools
 9.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
7th Grade Language Arts (Belen Middle)3120
 11%
   7th Grade Language Arts (Belen)3222.1
 9.9%
   7th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3134.8
 3.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Belen Middle)915.4
 6.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Belen)1118.9
 7.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)1924.8
 5.8%
8th Grade Language Arts (Belen Middle)2218
 4%
   8th Grade Language Arts (Belen)2519
 6%
   8th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3133.2
 2.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Belen Middle)1110.5
 0.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Belen)1311.6
 1.4%
   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 Students552528
 4.3%
African American75
 28.6%
American Indian1018
 80%
Asian01
Hispanic403411
 2%
Pacific Islander00
White12987
 32.6%
Two or More Races36
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%

Schools Near Belen Middle








Frequently Asked Questions about Belen Middle

Students at Belen Middle are 80% Hispanic, 15% White, 3% American Indian, 2% African American.

Students who attend Belen Middle usually go on to attend Belen High

In the 2023-24 school year, 493 students attended Belen Middle.

Belen Middle ranks 153rd of 235 New Mexico middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


Rate Belen Middle!



Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...


Compare to nearby schools

NMNew Mexico Middle School Rankings

NMNew Mexico District Rankings

Schools in Belen, NM

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Belen Middle!




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.




Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 26 milliseconds.