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Penasco Middle

Summary:

Penasco Middle is a public middle school in Penasco, New Mexico, serving 72 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Penasco Independent Schools district, which is ranked 61 out of 119 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating.

Penasco Middle has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic (81.94%) and Native American (11.11%) students compared to the nearby Taos Middle school. The school outperforms the state average in Language Arts (42% proficient) and Science (58% proficient), but lags behind in Mathematics (18% proficient). However, Penasco Middle has seen a concerning increase in its student-teacher ratio, from 12.6 in 2020-2021 to 26.6 in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the 9.8 ratio at Taos Middle.

Penasco Middle faces unique challenges, including a high-need student population, fluctuating academic performance, and a growing student-teacher ratio. Addressing these issues will require a comprehensive approach, with a focus on improving instructional quality, providing targeted support for underperforming student groups, and ensuring the school has the resources and staffing it needs to succeed.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 13 School Rd
       Penasco, NM  87553

(575) 587-2230

District: Penasco

SchoolDigger Rank:
93rd of 239 New Mexico Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,109 Help


Students who attend Penasco Middle usually attend:

High:    Penasco High

Feeder schools for Penasco Middle:

Elementary:    Penasco Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  26.6 Help
Number of students:  72

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
81.9%
American Indian:
11.1%
White:
6.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Penasco Middle ranks better than 61.1% of middle schools in New Mexico. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.1. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (81.9%), American Indian (11.1%), White (6.9%). (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 Penasco Middle is 26.6. (See more...)
Help
Compare Penasco Middle employs 2.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Penasco Middle is $13,109.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Penasco Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Penasco Middle 93rd of 239 New Mexico public middle schools. (See Penasco Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Penasco:

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


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Rank History for Penasco Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Penasco Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 32.24 104th 157 33.8%
2006 35.62 98th 156 37.2%
2007 34.42 111th 171 35.1%
2008 19.71 149th 172 13.4%
2009 29.71 126th 178 29.2%
2010 30.46 130th 179 27.4%
2011 40.95 91st 173 47.4%
2012 43.98 93rd 178 47.8%
2013 38.77 115th 193 40.4%
2014 26.68 170th 222 23.4%
2015 42.55 101st 207 51.2%
2016 53.10 77th 208 63.0%
2017 47.80 83rd 176 52.8%
2018 62.13 50th 186 73.1%
2019 62.88 58th 200 71.0%
2022 30.26 143rd 232 38.4%
2023 53.10 93rd 239 61.1%
See the entire list of New Mexico Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Penasco Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 78.10 7th 69 89.9%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Penasco Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.57 10th 168 94.0%
2019 72.07 32nd 175 81.7%
2022 36.70 115th 223 48.4%
2023 61.06 67th 227 70.5%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Penasco Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.91 36th 156 76.9%
2022 24.22 140th 220 36.4%
2023 42.43 107th 213 49.8%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Penasco Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.35 23rd 151 84.8%
2019 70.41 30th 152 80.3%
2023 53.89 90th 221 59.3%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Penasco Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.05 28th 149 81.2%
2019 78.28 23rd 150 84.7%
2022 43.68 87th 214 59.3%
2023 56.31 72nd 204 64.7%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Penasco Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 78.24 6th 67 91.0%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Penasco Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 55.58 80th 229 65.1%
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.

Penasco 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 Penasco Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 14 0 0 112 6 n/a n/a 0 132
1991 15 0 0 117 6 n/a n/a 0 138
1992 11 0 0 122 7 n/a n/a 0 140
1993 13 0 0 119 4 n/a n/a 0 136
1994 21 1 0 118 5 n/a n/a 0 145
1995 10 0 0 126 5 n/a n/a 0 141
1996 10 0 0 126 5 n/a n/a 0 141
1997 11 0 0 105 7 n/a n/a 0 123
1998 11 0 0 105 6 n/a n/a 0 122
1999 14 0 0 115 6 n/a n/a 0 135
2000 5 0 0 103 6 n/a n/a 0 114
2001 6 0 0 92 0 n/a n/a 0 98
2002 6 0 0 95 7 n/a n/a 0 108
2003 6 0 0 95 7 n/a n/a 0 108
2004 7 0 0 112 9 n/a n/a 0 128
2005 5 0 0 101 6 n/a n/a 0 112
2006 3 0 0 111 11 n/a n/a 0 125
2007 4 0 0 109 9 n/a n/a 0 122
2008 2 0 0 83 4 n/a n/a 0 89
2009 2 0 0 74 3 n/a n/a 0 79
2010 1 0 0 81 3 0 0 0 85
2011 2 0 0 78 6 0 0 0 86
2012 15 0 0 63 6 0 0 0 84
2013 4 0 0 68 3 0 0 0 75
2014 1 0 0 67 5 0 0 0 73
2015 8 0 0 45 4 0 0 0 57
2016 10 0 0 39 4 0 0 0 53
2017 6 0 0 46 6 0 0 0 58
2018 7 0 0 45 5 0 0 0 57
2019 3 0 0 48 4 0 0 0 55
2020 2 0 0 48 2 0 0 0 52
2021 2 0 0 44 4 0 0 0 50
2022 2 0 0 38 4 0 0 0 44
2023 5 0 0 59 8 0 0 0 72

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 Penasco Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 132 7.4 17.8 n/a
1991 138 7.4 18.6 n/a
1992 140 7.4 18.9 n/a
1993 136 6.5 20.9 n/a
1994 145 6.4 22.7 n/a
1995 141 7.8 18.1 n/a
1996 141 7.8 18.1 n/a
1997 123 6.7 18.4 n/a
1998 122 6.2 19.7 n/a
1999 135 6.9 19.6 80.7
2000 114 6.1 18.7 80.7
2001 98 7.1 13.8 73.5
2002 108 7.7 14.0 84.3
2003 108 7.7 14.0 84.3
2004 128 7.0 18.3 74.2
2005 112 6.8 16.5 87.5
2006 125 7.8 16.0 87.2
2007 122 4.3 28.4 77.9
2008 89 7.7 11.6 87.6
2009 79 7.1 11.1 81
2010 85 6.7 12.6 71.8
2011 86 6.4 13.3 60.5
2012 84 6.1 13.7 61.9
2013 75 6.0 12.3 66.7
2014 73 6.3 11.5 61.6
2015 57 4.0 14.2 94.7
2016 53 6.0 8.8 94.3
2017 58 4.7 12.3 94.8
2018 57 5.6 10.1 94.7
2019 55 5.3 10.3 100
2020 52 4.7 10.9 100
2021 50 3.9 12.6 100
2022 44 2.2 19.2 100
2023 72 2.7 26.6 100

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 Penasco Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 132 7.4 17.8 n/a
1991 138 7.4 18.6 n/a
1992 140 7.4 18.9 n/a
1993 136 6.5 20.9 n/a
1994 145 6.4 22.7 n/a
1995 141 7.8 18.1 n/a
1996 141 7.8 18.1 n/a
1997 123 6.7 18.4 n/a
1998 122 6.2 19.7 n/a
1999 135 6.9 19.6 80.7
2000 114 6.1 18.7 80.7
2001 98 7.1 13.8 73.5
2002 108 7.7 14.0 84.3
2003 108 7.7 14.0 84.3
2004 128 7.0 18.3 74.2
2005 112 6.8 16.5 87.5
2006 125 7.8 16.0 87.2
2007 122 4.3 28.4 77.9
2008 89 7.7 11.6 87.6
2009 79 7.1 11.1 81
2010 85 6.7 12.6 71.8
2011 86 6.4 13.3 60.5
2012 84 6.1 13.7 61.9
2013 75 6.0 12.3 66.7
2014 73 6.3 11.5 61.6
2015 57 4.0 14.2 94.7
2016 53 6.0 8.8 94.3
2017 58 4.7 12.3 94.8
2018 57 5.6 10.1 94.7
2019 55 5.3 10.3 100
2020 52 4.7 10.9 100
2021 50 3.9 12.6 100
2022 44 2.2 19.2 100
2023 72 2.7 26.6 100

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 Penasco Middle

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $13,109

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Penasco 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 58th of 200 Middle schoolsRanks 93rd of 239 Middle schools
 9.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
7th Grade Language Arts (Penasco Middle)7443.5
 30.5%
   7th Grade Language Arts (Penasco)7443.5
 30.5%
   7th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3134.8
 3.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Penasco Middle)1321.7
 8.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Penasco)1321.7
 8.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)1924.8
 5.8%
8th Grade Language Arts (Penasco Middle)3031.6
 1.6%
   8th Grade Language Arts (Penasco)3031.6
 1.6%
   8th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)3133.2
 2.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students5572
 30.9%
African American00
American Indian48
 100%
Asian00
Hispanic4859
 22.9%
Pacific Islander00
White35
 66.7%
Two or More Races00
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%

Schools Near Penasco Middle








Frequently Asked Questions about Penasco Middle

Students at Penasco Middle are 82% Hispanic, 11% American Indian, 7% White.

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

Penasco Middle ranks 93rd of 239 New Mexico middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 72 students attended Penasco Middle.


Rate Penasco 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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