BLUEWATER ELEMENTARY

BLUEWATER ELEMENTARY is a very small elementary-level community in BLUEWATER, New Mexico, overseen by GRANTS. The school caters to 63 students in grades K through 6. That puts it 78% leaner than the typical public school in New Mexico, which averages around 287 students.

BLUEWATER ELEMENTARY is one of 12 schools operated by GRANTS, a district that works with 3,056 students overall.

On the student-mix side, BLUEWATER ELEMENTARY reports that 44% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. Beyond that, the school logs 30% Native American, 21% Hispanic, 5% Black. The wider county runs roughly 30% White, putting the school's mix visibly more White than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, BLUEWATER ELEMENTARY shows 11 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 5.7:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 12.9:1, putting BLUEWATER ELEMENTARY tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 62% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is south of Cibola County's rate of about 95%.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, BLUEWATER ELEMENTARY is in the OUTPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations model, which fits a per-state line through proficiency and FRL share. Schools with this campus's poverty mix typically land near 42.6%; this one delivers 63.8%, a residual of +21.3 points.

In the surrounding community, community-level numbers for Cibola County indicate the typical household earns roughly $50,759 per year, 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 26% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Cibola County's 18 public schools (combined enrollment of about 3,854 students), BLUEWATER ELEMENTARY is one campus in the mix.

MILAN ELEMENTARY is the nearest neighboring public school, about 7.2 miles from this campus. 3 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint. Among the 5 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), BLUEWATER ELEMENTARY ranks 1st on composite proficiency, above the local average of 27.5%.

The school occupies an outlying site.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at BLUEWATER ELEMENTARY has decreased 34%, going from 96 students in 2018 to 63 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share edged up from 38% to 44%. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 12.2:1 in 2018 to 5.7:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for BLUEWATER ELEMENTARY typically covers classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.