ERNEST STAPLETON ELEMENTARY

ERNEST STAPLETON ELEMENTARY is an expansive elementary campus in RIO RANCHO, New Mexico, operated by RIO RANCHO. The school educates 798 students in grades K through 5. That puts it 178% above the typical public school in New Mexico, which averages around 287 students.

Across the 20 schools in RIO RANCHO (16,461 students total), ERNEST STAPLETON ELEMENTARY accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, ERNEST STAPLETON ELEMENTARY logs that the largest single group is Hispanic, at 56% of enrollment. Other groups include 31% White, 9% multiracial, 3% Native American. The wider county runs roughly 40% Hispanic, putting the school's mix noticeably more Hispanic than the area baseline.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, ERNEST STAPLETON ELEMENTARY has 42 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 18.9:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 12.9:1 average.

Around the school, ACS estimates for Sandoval County put the typical household earns roughly $86,636 per year, roughly 34% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. ERNEST STAPLETON ELEMENTARY is one of 49 public schools in Sandoval County (combined enrollment of about 22,445 students).

The closest other public school is EAGLE RIDGE MIDDLE, roughly 0.4 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around ERNEST STAPLETON ELEMENTARY.

Geographically, the school is in an outer-ring area.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count decreased 7%: 860 students in 2018 compared to 798 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 43% to 31% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio rose from 15.6:1 in 2018 to 18.9:1 today.

On this page, recent activity here tends to focus on pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Members of the school community can share what they know.