LOWER ELEMENTARY

Located at 624 8TH ST, in ESTANCIA, New Mexico, LOWER ELEMENTARY is a tiny elementary school that serves 113 students (grades pre-K through 1), run under ESTANCIA. Compared to the state average of about 287 students per school, that is 61% leaner than typical.

Within ESTANCIA, which oversees 4 schools and 575 students, LOWER ELEMENTARY is one campus in the system.

On the student-mix side, LOWER ELEMENTARY reports that 79% of the student body identifies as Hispanic. Beyond that, the school reports 18% White, 3% multiracial. By comparison, Torrance County as a whole is about 43% Hispanic, so the school skews visibly more Hispanic than its surroundings.

On the income-and-resources front, On paper, LOWER ELEMENTARY has 12 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 9.3:1. 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.

Zooming out to the county, Torrance County reports that median household income runs about $57,842, roughly 17% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 12% of residents live below the federal poverty line. LOWER ELEMENTARY is one of 11 public schools in Torrance County (combined enrollment of about 2,258 students).

UPPER ELEMENTARY is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.1 miles from this campus. 3 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 19%: 140 students in 2018 compared to 113 in 2025. The White share of enrollment decreased from 28% to 18% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 51.9:1 in 2018 to 9.3:1 today.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.