CATON MIDDLE

CATON MIDDLE is one of the intimate middle schools in EUNICE, New Mexico, overseen by EUNICE, with 170 students on its rolls from grades 6 through 8. Enrollment runs roughly 49% smaller than the state mean of about 335.

Within EUNICE, which oversees 3 schools and 748 students, CATON MIDDLE is one campus in the system.

For racial and ethnic makeup, CATON MIDDLE records that 66% of the student body identifies as Hispanic. Other groups include 31% White, 3% multiracial. That mix tracks the wider county fairly closely.

On the income-and-resources front, The school lists 11 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 14.8:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 12.5:1 average. Roughly 55% of students at CATON MIDDLE qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Lea County runs at roughly 73%, so the school's eligibility rate is lower than the surrounding baseline.

After controlling for student poverty, CATON MIDDLE tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 44.3% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 31.3%.

In the broader community, ACS estimates for Lea County put median household earnings sit near $68,015, roughly 16% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 15% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Lea County's 38 public schools (combined enrollment of about 15,126 students), CATON MIDDLE is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is METTIE JORDAN ELEMENTARY, roughly 0.1 miles away. Within five miles, there are 2 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts CATON MIDDLE at 3rd of 8; the average score across the group is 29.5%.

The school occupies a rural site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at CATON MIDDLE has contracted 9%, going from 187 students in 2018 to 170 in 2025. The White share of enrollment decreased from 43% to 31% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 26.9:1 in 2018 to 14.8:1 today.

Within the allk12 community for this school, members of the CATON MIDDLE community share and discuss open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.