DESERT RIDGE MIDDLE

DESERT RIDGE MIDDLE operates as a heavily attended intermediate school in ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, overseen by ALBUQUERQUE. Current enrollment sits at 801 students spanning grades 6 through 8. Compared to the state average of about 335 students per school, that is 139% above typical.

DESERT RIDGE MIDDLE is one of 171 schools operated by ALBUQUERQUE, a district that educates 74,041 students overall.

In terms of who attends, DESERT RIDGE MIDDLE records that the most-represented group is White (39%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Other groups include 37% Hispanic, 10% Asian, 8% multiracial, 3% Native American. The wider county runs roughly 49% White, putting the school's mix considerably less White than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, The school reports having 63 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 12.7:1. That tracks the state average closely. Roughly 99% of students at DESERT RIDGE MIDDLE qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. By comparison, Bernalillo County runs at roughly 90%, so the school's eligibility rate is higher than the surrounding baseline.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, DESERT RIDGE MIDDLE 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 33.6%; this one delivers 64.9%, a residual of +31.3 points.

Across the wider county, Bernalillo County reports that median household income runs about $69,473, roughly 38% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Bernalillo County's 211 public schools (combined enrollment of about 85,724 students), DESERT RIDGE MIDDLE is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is ALTURA PREPARATORY SCHOOL, roughly 0.3 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts DESERT RIDGE MIDDLE at 3rd of 7; the average score across the group is 54.3%.

DESERT RIDGE MIDDLE operates from a metropolitan location.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged down 21%: 1,011 students in 2018 compared to 801 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share fell from 47% to 39%. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 16.4:1 in 2018 to 12.7:1 today.

On allk12, recent activity here tends to focus on school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Members of the school community can share what they know.