SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY

SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY is a big elementary school in ALAMOGORDO, New Mexico, run under ALAMOGORDO. The school serves 436 students in grades K through 5. By comparison, New Mexico's public schools average about 287 students each, so SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY sits 52% above that benchmark.

Within ALAMOGORDO, which oversees 14 schools and 5,227 students, SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY is one campus in the system.

In terms of who attends, SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY lists that the largest single group is Hispanic, at 59% of enrollment. Beyond that, the school reports 28% White, 6% Black, 5% multiracial, 2% Asian. By comparison, Otero County as a whole is about 40% Hispanic, so the school skews noticeably more Hispanic than its surroundings.

On the income-and-resources front, On paper, SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY has 32 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 13.6:1. The state averages around 12.9:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Around 100% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

After controlling for student poverty, SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 33.4%; this one delivers 37.5%.

In the area at large, the surrounding county (Otero County) reports that median household earnings sit near $55,876, about 23% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 15%. SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY is one of 26 public schools in Otero County (combined enrollment of about 7,639 students).

Nearest neighbor: CHAPARRAL MIDDLE, around 0.6 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY at 3rd of 7; the average score across the group is 36.8%.

The campus sits in a town-center setting.

Over the past 7-year window. SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY's enrollment has ticked up 52% since 2018, when it stood at 286 (now 436). Hispanic enrollment moved from 51% to 59% across the same window. Class-load math has fell: from 18.8:1 in 2018 to 13.6:1 in 2025.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.