Enrollment
1,244
High
DISTRICT 522 · STATE 450
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·GALLUP·NCES 350111000545
GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE
325 MARGUERITE ST, GALLUP, NM 87301 · (505) 721-1051 · McKinley County
GRADES 06–12HIGH33-TOWNTITLE IALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SCHOOL1,244 STUDENTS
·
allk12 Grade
Not graded
Schools serving specialized populations are not graded, because state test results are not a fair comparison for them. How grades work
Student : Teacher
13.0:1
96 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 4.9:1 · STATE 22.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
49%
615 students
DISTRICT 84% · STATE 90%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | 328 | 26% |
| Grade 10 | 327 | 26% |
| Grade 11 | 302 | 24% |
| Grade 12 | 287 | 23% |
Student demographics
61%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 55% · STATE 55% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
BeatsExpectations
Not computed for this schoolBeatsExpectations is not computed for specialized-population schools (schools for the deaf or blind, therapeutic and behavioral-health placements, juvenile-justice and alternative-education settings, and similar). State ELA/Math proficiency rates are not a comparable metric for these populations, so a demographically-adjusted residual against general-enrollment peers would be misleading. About the methodology →
Where GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In New Mexico | In McKinley County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,244 | #25 of 212 | #1 of 14 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.0:1 | #25 of 104 | N/A |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 61.2% | #16 of 113 | #1 of 9 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 49.4% | #125 of 147 | #11 of 11 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +460.4% | #1 of 44 | N/A |
Ranked against other public high schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
1,244
+461 (+59%) vs 2020
+264% since 2000-01, when it was 342
Student : Teacher
13.0:1
was 17.0:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 1,244 | 96 | 13.0:1 | 49% (615) |
| 2023-24 | 146 | 10 | 14.6:1 | 95% (138) |
| 2022-23 | 109 | 10 | 10.9:1 | 100% (109) |
| 2020-21 | 783 | 46 | 17.0:1 | 100% (783) |
| 2017-18 | 222 | 15 | 14.8:1 | 100% (222) |
| 2015-16 | 239 | 12 | 19.9:1 | 97% (232) |
| 2010-11 | 243 | 22 | 11.1:1 | 99% (240) |
| 2000-01 | 342 | 20 | 17.1:1 | 99% (339) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE.
Since 2017-18: students up 460% (222 to 1,244); teachers up 540% (15 to 96).
About GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE
GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE is a large high school in GALLUP, New Mexico. A federal count lists 1,244 students at the school, in grades 6 through 12. Average enrollment for high schools in New Mexico is about 450, so this school runs 176% bigger than that.
GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE is run by GALLUP, whose 33 schools enroll 12,698 students.
Roughly 57% of students at GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE are Hispanic. Other reported shares: 21% White, 11% multiracial, 7% Native American, and 3% Black. McKinley County's residents are about 12% Hispanic, 45 points below the school's share. Pick two students at random and there is a 61% chance they belong to different racial or ethnic groups; that figure is the school's diversity index.
GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE's 96 full-time-equivalent teachers put its ratio at 13.0:1. On average, high schools in New Mexico have 22.9:1, compared with 13.0:1 here. The school's rate of free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is 49%. That is lower than the 85% average for public schools in McKinley County.
Census estimates describe McKinley County this way: the median household income is $47,668, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 13%, and about 28% of people live in poverty. Besides GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE, McKinley County has 52 other public schools.
The nearest public school is STAGECOACH ELEMENTARY, at about 0.6 miles. Inside a five-mile radius, there are at least 8 other public schools.
NCES assigns GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE the locale Town: Remote, meaning in a town far from an urbanized area.
In 2020-21 the school reported 783 students, and in 2024-25 it reported 1,244. Grade changes, mergers, or boundary shifts can explain gaps this large. The school's ratio fell from 17.0:1 to 13.0:1 between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
Conversations here can range across science fairs, picture day, and bus routes. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.
McKinley County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
70,431
Census ACS
Median income
$47,668
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
13%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
28%
Below federal line
Schools in county
53
16,807 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in GALLUP
- MIYAMURA HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 1,237 students
- GALLUP HIGHHigh · 796 students
- JOHN F. KENNEDY MIDDLEMiddle · 648 students
- CHIEF MANUELITO MIDDLEMiddle · 634 students
- GALLUP MIDDLEMiddle · 480 students
- JEFFERSON ELEMENTARYElementary · 460 students
Other schools in GALLUP
- MIYAMURA HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 1,237 students
- GALLUP HIGHHigh · 796 students
- HOZHO ACADEMYCombined · 781 students
- JOHN F. KENNEDY MIDDLEMiddle · 648 students
- CHIEF MANUELITO MIDDLEMiddle · 634 students
- GALLUP MIDDLEMiddle · 480 students
Nearby schools
- STAGECOACH ELEMENTARY0.6 mi · 340
- LINCOLN ELEMENTARY1.2 mi · 414
- DEL NORTE ELEMENTARY1.5 mi · 424
- HOZHO ACADEMY1.6 mi · 781
- SIX DIRECTIONS INDIGENOUS SCHOOL1.7 mi · 58
- GALLUP MIDDLE2.1 mi · 480
Frequently asked questions
About GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVEWhat is the total enrollment at GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE?
GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE enrolls approximately 1,244 students in grades 06-12.
What age range does GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE serve?
GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE serves students from grade 06 through grade 12.
How many students per teacher at GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE?
Approximately 13.0:1 students per teacher at GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE.
How diverse is GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE?
GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE reports a student body of 21% White, 57% Hispanic, 3% Black, 0% Asian, 11% Two or more.
Who oversees GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE?
GALLUP CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE is overseen by GALLUP in McKinley County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.