Total enrollment
2,518
-99 (-4%) vs SY 2020-21
6 schools in PORTALES
New Mexico · 2,518 students · 1 city
Of the public K-12 schools operating across New Mexico, 6 sit inside PORTALES, collectively enrolling about 2,518 students (3 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high).
4-year change in PORTALES
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
6
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How PORTALES ranks
Among districts| Measure | This district | In New Mexico | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 2,518 | #22 of 50 | #3,756 of 9,234 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 6 | #30 of 50 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 11.7:1 | #8 of 49 | #1,742 of 9,044 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 99.8% | #25 of 49 | #181 of 8,164 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 47.5% | #16 of 37 | #3,260 of 6,853 |
Districts need at least 2 schools and 500 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Inside PORTALES
Since 2017-18, the 6 district schools that reported both years went from 2,787 to 2,518 students (down 10%) and from 173 to 216 full-time teachers (up 25%), as of 2024-25.
Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across each school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25; schools with fewer than 100 students and schools serving specialized populations are left out. Staffing figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data and count only schools that reported students and teachers in both years.
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PORTALES HIGH | Portales | High | 09-12 | 754 |
| LINDSEY-STEINER ELEMENTARY | Portales | Middle | 05-06 | 376 |
| VALENCIA ELEMENTARY | Portales | Elementary | 03-04 | 366 |
| JAMES ELEMENTARY | Portales | Elementary | 01-02 | 364 |
| BROWN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER | Portales | Elementary | PK-KG | 332 |
| PORTALES JR HIGH | Portales | Middle | 07-08 | 326 |
About PORTALES
PORTALES is a compact New Mexico school district running 6 schools with combined enrollment near 2,518.
On the school-mix side, PORTALES covers 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high school.
Per-school enrollment averages around 420 in this district, above the New Mexico typical of 343.
Over the past 4-year window. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment fell 4%: 2,617 students in SY 2020-21 versus 2,518 in SY 2024-25.
On this page, the community for PORTALES discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.