DESERT HILLS ELEMENTARY

DESERT HILLS ELEMENTARY operates as a large K-5 school in LAS CRUCES, New Mexico, operated by LAS CRUCES. Current enrollment sits at 502 students spanning grades pre-K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 287 students per school, that is 75% larger than typical.

DESERT HILLS ELEMENTARY is one of 39 schools operated by LAS CRUCES, a district that enrolls 22,670 students overall.

Looking at the student body, DESERT HILLS ELEMENTARY lists that 68% of the student body identifies as Hispanic. The remainder looks like 21% White, 5% Asian, 3% multiracial, 3% Black. That composition is broadly in line with Doñan Ana County as a whole.

On the income-and-resources front, On paper, DESERT HILLS ELEMENTARY has 42 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.1:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 12.9:1 average. About 100% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, DESERT HILLS 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 33.4%; this one delivers 60.1%, a residual of +26.7 points.

In the area at large, Doñan Ana County reports that median household income runs about $56,848, about 32% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 19%. In all, Doñan Ana County runs 81 public schools (combined enrollment of about 36,561 students), of which DESERT HILLS ELEMENTARY is one.

The closest other public school is EXPLORE ACADEMY LAS CRUCES, roughly 1.1 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around DESERT HILLS ELEMENTARY. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts DESERT HILLS ELEMENTARY at 1st of 8; the average score across the group is 34.1%.

The campus sits in a high-density setting.

Looking at the recent track record. DESERT HILLS ELEMENTARY's enrollment has shrank 24% since 2018, when it stood at 664 (now 502). The White share of enrollment ticked down from 32% to 21% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 17.1:1 in 2018 to 12.1:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for DESERT HILLS ELEMENTARY typically covers sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.