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Picacho Middle

Summary:

Picacho Middle is a public middle school in Las Cruces, New Mexico, serving 727 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Las Cruces Public Schools district, which is ranked 60 out of 119 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

Picacho Middle faces several key challenges. Its academic performance, as measured by state assessments, is generally below the state and district averages, with only 32% of students proficient or better in Language Arts, 16% in Mathematics, and 19% in Science. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of New Mexico middle schools, earning a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. Picacho Middle's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with some groups, such as White and English Language Learner students, performing significantly worse than the state averages.

Interestingly, Picacho Middle's academic performance is lower than nearby middle schools in the Las Cruces Public Schools district, such as Camino Real Middle and Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy, which outperformed Picacho Middle in all three subject areas on the 2022-2023 state assessments. Additionally, Picacho Middle has a 100% free and reduced lunch rate, indicating a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, which can present unique challenges and require additional resources and support.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1040 North Motel Blvd
       Las Cruces, NM  88001

(575) 527-9455

District: Las Cruces

SchoolDigger Rank:
157th of 239 New Mexico Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,072 Help


Students who attend Picacho Middle usually attend:

High:    Arrowhead Park Early College High School
    Mayfield High

Feeder schools for Picacho Middle:

Elementary:    Alameda Elementary
    East Picacho Elementary
    Fairacres Elementary
    Mac Arthur Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  16.1 Help
Number of students:  727

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
82.4%
White:
14.7%
African American:
1.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Picacho Middle ranks worse than 65.7% of middle schools in New Mexico. It also ranks 6th among 8 ranked middle schools in the Las Cruces School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.28. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (82.4%), White (14.7%), African American (1.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Las Cruces School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Picacho Middle is 16.1, which is the 4th best among 8 middle schools in the Las Cruces School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Picacho Middle employs 45 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Picacho Middle is $9,072, which is the 2nd highest among 8 middle schools in the Las Cruces School District.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Picacho Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Picacho Middle 157th of 239 New Mexico public middle schools. (See Picacho Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Las Cruces:

SchoolDigger ranks Las Cruces 60th of 119 New Mexico school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Picacho Middle

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Rank History for all students at Picacho Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 34.18 101st 157 35.7%
2006 41.10 91st 156 41.7%
2007 31.35 116th 171 32.2%
2008 30.71 122nd 172 29.1%
2009 37.72 108th 178 39.3%
2010 34.73 118th 179 34.1%
2011 36.26 104th 173 39.9%
2012 41.06 101st 178 43.3%
2013 43.54 104th 193 46.1%
2014 32.45 155th 222 30.2%
2015 26.99 151st 207 27.1%
2016 20.82 174th 208 16.3%
2017 26.07 133rd 176 24.4%
2018 29.53 129th 186 30.6%
2019 32.37 134th 200 33.0%
2022 20.77 182nd 232 21.6%
2023 31.28 157th 239 34.3%
See the entire list of New Mexico Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Picacho Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 23.90 56th 65 13.8%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Picacho Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 26.99 15th 21 28.6%
2022 14.86 66th 69 4.3%
2023 21.82 69th 97 28.9%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Picacho Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 32.84 28th 44 36.4%
2022 13.19 58th 58 0.0%
2023 16.42 88th 100 12.0%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Picacho Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.73 103rd 168 38.7%
2019 42.62 92nd 175 47.4%
2022 25.42 151st 223 32.3%
2023 36.07 138th 227 39.2%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Picacho Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.98 116th 156 25.6%
2019 32.53 105th 160 34.4%
2022 17.84 167th 220 24.1%
2023 29.63 146th 213 31.5%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Picacho Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.89 35th 52 32.7%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Picacho Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.18 106th 151 29.8%
2019 28.92 108th 152 28.9%
2022 20.89 149th 213 30.0%
2023 28.22 156th 221 29.4%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Picacho Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 23.61 49th 55 10.9%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Picacho Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.80 114th 149 23.5%
2019 30.24 107th 150 28.7%
2022 17.91 159th 214 25.7%
2023 28.29 143rd 204 29.9%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Picacho Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.63 76th 120 36.7%
2019 36.45 77th 121 36.4%
2022 26.50 143rd 187 23.5%
2023 25.56 167th 229 27.1%
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.

Picacho Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: New Mexico Public Education Department

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Enrollment information for Picacho Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 337 12 5 586 2 n/a n/a 0 942
1991 353 12 2 591 1 n/a n/a 0 959
1992 371 5 3 615 1 n/a n/a 0 995
1993 387 9 2 628 2 n/a n/a 0 1028
1994 417 10 4 520 3 n/a n/a 0 954
1995 418 10 8 567 4 n/a n/a 0 1007
1996 418 10 8 567 4 n/a n/a 0 1007
1997 398 10 6 517 101 n/a n/a 0 1032
1998 398 7 2 594 4 n/a n/a 0 1005
1999 385 16 1 608 2 n/a n/a 0 1012
2000 375 16 4 622 3 n/a n/a 0 1020
2001 350 11 3 653 3 n/a n/a 0 1020
2002 217 9 3 602 6 n/a n/a 0 837
2003 217 9 3 602 6 n/a n/a 0 837
2004 157 14 5 568 4 n/a n/a 0 748
2005 139 12 0 590 4 n/a n/a 0 745
2006 160 16 1 596 4 n/a n/a 0 777
2007 164 17 2 587 6 n/a n/a 0 776
2008 167 16 9 559 8 n/a n/a 0 759
2009 171 16 4 563 10 n/a n/a 0 764
2010 174 12 1 611 6 0 0 0 804
2011 191 16 2 622 4 1 0 0 836
2012 176 12 3 645 2 2 0 0 840
2013 174 9 4 649 2 0 1 0 839
2014 165 5 4 639 4 0 2 0 819
2015 144 7 4 618 4 0 2 0 779
2016 139 9 2 581 6 0 3 0 740
2017 133 15 3 585 1 0 0 0 737
2018 121 15 1 623 1 1 3 0 765
2019 110 7 0 642 4 0 6 0 769
2020 116 12 1 642 5 1 7 0 784
2021 107 9 0 672 7 2 5 0 802
2022 110 12 2 635 4 1 3 0 767
2023 107 10 3 599 6 0 2 0 727

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 Picacho Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 942 54.0 17.4 n/a
1991 959 54.9 17.4 n/a
1992 995 57.9 17.1 n/a
1993 1028 58.1 17.7 n/a
1994 954 49.9 19.1 n/a
1995 1007 54.5 18.5 n/a
1996 1007 54.5 18.5 n/a
1997 1032 65.5 15.8 n/a
1998 1005 63.0 16.0 n/a
1999 1012 65.7 15.4 53.4
2000 1020 67.9 15.0 50.3
2001 1020 64.6 15.8 58.3
2002 837 53.6 15.6 73.1
2003 837 53.6 15.6 73.1
2004 748 51.1 14.6 75.9
2005 745 53.1 14.0 72.2
2006 777 54.5 14.3 76.6
2007 776 55.0 14.1 63
2008 759 51.1 14.9 64.8
2009 764 51.2 14.9 64.1
2010 804 48.2 16.6 67.7
2011 836 52.2 16.0 69.5
2012 840 46.0 18.2 n/a
2013 839 49.0 17.1 73.4
2014 819 48.8 16.7 75.3
2015 779 54.0 14.4 80.4
2016 740 49.0 15.1 57.3
2017 737 44.9 16.4 100
2018 765 44.4 17.2 100
2019 769 44.3 17.3 100
2020 784 46.5 16.8 100
2021 802 43.0 18.6 100
2022 767 44.0 17.4 100
2023 727 45.0 16.1 100

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 Picacho Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 942 54.0 17.4 n/a
1991 959 54.9 17.4 n/a
1992 995 57.9 17.1 n/a
1993 1028 58.1 17.7 n/a
1994 954 49.9 19.1 n/a
1995 1007 54.5 18.5 n/a
1996 1007 54.5 18.5 n/a
1997 1032 65.5 15.8 n/a
1998 1005 63.0 16.0 n/a
1999 1012 65.7 15.4 53.4
2000 1020 67.9 15.0 50.3
2001 1020 64.6 15.8 58.3
2002 837 53.6 15.6 73.1
2003 837 53.6 15.6 73.1
2004 748 51.1 14.6 75.9
2005 745 53.1 14.0 72.2
2006 777 54.5 14.3 76.6
2007 776 55.0 14.1 63
2008 759 51.1 14.9 64.8
2009 764 51.2 14.9 64.1
2010 804 48.2 16.6 67.7
2011 836 52.2 16.0 69.5
2012 840 46.0 18.2 n/a
2013 839 49.0 17.1 73.4
2014 819 48.8 16.7 75.3
2015 779 54.0 14.4 80.4
2016 740 49.0 15.1 57.3
2017 737 44.9 16.4 100
2018 765 44.4 17.2 100
2019 769 44.3 17.3 100
2020 784 46.5 16.8 100
2021 802 43.0 18.6 100
2022 767 44.0 17.4 100
2023 727 45.0 16.1 100

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 Picacho Middle

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $9,072

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Picacho 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 134th of 200 Middle schoolsRanks 157th of 239 Middle schools
 1.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
6th Grade Language Arts (Picacho Middle)2119
 2%
   6th Grade Language Arts (Las Cruces)3329.7
 3.3%
   6th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3132.9
 1.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Picacho Middle)1814.1
 3.9%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Las Cruces)1725.5
 8.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)1932.5
 13.5%
7th Grade Language Arts (Picacho Middle)2617.8
 8.2%
   7th Grade Language Arts (Las Cruces)3031.3
 1.3%
   7th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3134.8
 3.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Picacho Middle)1315.1
 2.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Las Cruces)1618.4
 2.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)1924.8
 5.8%
8th Grade Language Arts (Picacho Middle)3127.3
 3.7%
   8th Grade Language Arts (Las Cruces)3131.8
 0.8%
   8th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3133.2
 2.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Picacho Middle)1715.2
 1.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Las Cruces)1717.4
 0.4%
   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 Students769727
 5.5%
African American710
 42.9%
American Indian46
 50%
Asian03
Hispanic642599
 6.7%
Pacific Islander00
White110107
 2.7%
Two or More Races62
 66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Picacho Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 727 students attended Picacho Middle.

Picacho Middle ranks 157th of 239 New Mexico middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Picacho Middle usually go on to attend Arrowhead Park Early College High School

Students at Picacho Middle are 82% Hispanic, 15% White, 1% African American.


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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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