The encouraging findings are contained in the New Mexico Public Education Department’s new school designations for the 2024–25 school year.
Source: N.M. Public Education Department
Image: Courtesy
SANTA FE — Nineteen New Mexico schools have dramatically improved student achievement, with two reaching the state’s highest performance tier after previously ranking among the lowest-performing schools in the state.
The encouraging findings are contained in the New Mexico Public Education Department’s new school designations for the 2024–25 school year, highlighting schools that have exited Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CSI) designation—the state’s category for schools identified as lowest-performing.
“These 19 schools prove that with the right support, strong leadership and dedicated educators, New Mexico students can succeed,” said Mariana D. Padilla, Secretary of Public Education. “Their success is proof that investing in data-driven strategies and collaborative school cultures delivers real results for kids.”
Of the 19 schools that exited CSI status, two schools advanced to Spotlight status (the highest-performing school designation), 15 advanced to Traditional status and two advanced to Targeted Support & Improvement (TSI) status.
One school advanced from More Rigorous Intervention (MRI) status to TSI status. Because MRI represents a more chronic level of need than CSI, this transition demonstrates that meaningful improvement and progress out of the most intensive support status is achievable.
Driving improvement through data, leadership and family engagement
Two New Mexico schools—Mesa Elementary in Shiprock and Armijo Elementary in Albuquerque—exited CSI status into Traditional status after demonstrating sustained improvement in student achievement through focused instructional leadership, data-informed decision-making and collaboration among teachers and families.
At Mesa Elementary, Principal Gina Jones and her team have transformed instruction with clear lesson planning, data-driven decision-making and weekly teacher collaboration. Student progress is closely monitored using tools such as iMSSA, Amira/Istation and WiDA, leading to steady gains in reading and math, particularly in grades three through five. Targeted professional development, observation cycles and structured feedback support continuous improvement, fostering a culture of rigorous instruction, teamwork and measurable student success.
At Armijo Elementary, led by Principal Angelica Portillo, “Wonderful Wednesday” sessions allow staff to review data, align instruction and target interventions. Tools like Formative Loop and i-Ready guide real-time instructional adjustments. Literacy remains a top priority, with evidence-based programs strengthening reading and writing skills. Family engagement initiatives, including a Parent Teacher Organization and hands-on workshops, build strong school-home partnerships and a shared commitment to student achievement.
These schools exemplify how strategic leadership, effective use of data and collaborative cultures can drive lasting improvement and help schools move out of CSI status toward sustained academic success.
Schools were rated on a point system based on the following indicators:
- Math, reading and science achievement/assessment results
- Growth in math and reading across time
- Student attendance
- Progress towards English language proficiency for students who are English learners
- Post-secondary readiness*
- Graduation rates*
- Graduation rate growth*
*Applies to high school ratings only
The school designations are:
- Spotlight–Highest recognition; schools among the top 25% of schools
- Traditional–Good standing; not in designation
- Targeted Support & Improvement (TSI)–Schools with consistently underperforming student groups
- Additional Targeted Support & Improvement (ATSI)–Schools in need of support with one or more of the lowest performing groups of students
- Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CSI)–Schools scoring in the bottom 5% of Title I schools overall or that have a graduation rate below 67%
- More Rigorous Interventions (MRI)–Schools not exiting CSI status after 3 years of receiving support
New Mexico Vistas, developed by the New Mexico Public Education Department in 2019, serves as a public reporting data website that showcases school performance aligned to ESSA.
How did our local schools fare in the evaluation?
The three school districts in our broader community comprised 66 schools, of which only one was designated below “Traditional” (Rio Grande Preparatory Institute, LCPS). Fourteen area schools were designated “Spotlight” schools—among the top 25% in New Mexico.
[Note: Arrowhead Park Early College High School (APECHS), a bellwether academic school for Las Cruces Public Schools and the state of New Mexico as a whole is listed as “Early College High School” in the LCPS listing—the campus name is omitted in the PED report.]
Gadsden Independent Schools
| School | City | Type | Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alta Vista Early College High School | Anthony | Public School | Spotlight |
| Anthony Elementary | Anthony | Public School | Traditional |
| Berino Elementary | Anthony | Public School | Traditional |
| Chaparral Elementary | Chaparral | Public School | Traditional |
| Chaparral High | Anthony | Public School | Traditional |
| Chaparral Middle | Chaparral | Public School | Traditional |
| Desert Pride Academy | Anthony | Public School | Traditional |
| Desert Trail Elementary | Chaparral | Public School | Spotlight |
| Desert View Elementary | Sunland Park | Public School | Traditional |
| Gadsden Elementary | Sunland Park | Public School | Traditional |
| Gadsden High | Anthony | Public School | Traditional |
| Gadsden Middle | Anthony | Public School | Traditional |
| La Union Elementary | Anthony | Public School | Spotlight |
| Loma Linda Elementary | Anthony | Public School | Traditional |
| North Valley Elementary | San Miguel | Public School | Spotlight |
| Riverside Elementary | Sunland Park | Public School | Spotlight |
| Santa Teresa Elementary | Santa Teresa | Public School | Spotlight |
| Santa Teresa High | Santa Teresa | Public School | Traditional |
| Santa Teresa Middle | Santa Teresa | Public School | Traditional |
| Sunrise Elementary | Anthony | Public School | Traditional |
| Vado Elementary | Vado | Public School | Traditional |
| Yucca Heights Elementary | Chapparal | Public School | Traditional |
Las Cruces Public Schools
| School | City | Type | Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Booker T. Washington | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Camino Real Middle | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Centennial High School | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Central Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Cesar Chavez Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Columbia Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Conlee Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Desert Hills Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Spotlight |
| Dona Ana Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Early College High School | Las Cruces | Public School | Spotlight |
| East Picacho Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Spotlight |
| Fairacres Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Hermosa Heights Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Highland Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Hillrise Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Jornada Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Las Cruces High | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Loma Heights Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Lynn Middle | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Mac Arthur Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Mayfield High | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Mesa Middle | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Mesilla Elementary | Mesilla | Public School | Spotlight |
| Mesilla Park Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy | Las Cruces | Public School | Spotlight |
| Monte Vista Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Organ Mountain High School | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Picacho Middle | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Rio Grande Preparatory Institute | Mesilla | Public School | MRI.Grad |
| Sierra Middle | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Sonoma Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Spotlight |
| Sunrise Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Tombaugh Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Spotlight |
| University Hills Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Valley View Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| Vista Middle | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
| White Sands Elementary | Las Cruces | Public School | Spotlight |
| Zia Middle | Las Cruces | Public School | Traditional |
Hatch Valley Public Schools
| School | City | Type | Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garfield Elementary | Garfield | Public School | Traditional |
| Hatch Valley Elementary | Hatch | Public School | Traditional |
| Hatch Valley High | Hatch | Public School | Traditional |
| Hatch Valley Middle | Hatch | Public School | Traditional |
| Rio Grande Elementary | Hatch | Public School | Traditional |