Skip to main content
6.3 avg / 10

Belen School District

School District · Belen, New Mexico

Students: 3,564
Teachers (FTE): 221

Avg Rating

6.3

out of 10

Schools

10

6 elem, 2 mid, 2 high

Per-Pupil Spending

$15,218

Student-Teacher Ratio

16.1:1

District shortlistschools + peers

Evaluating Belen?

A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Belen as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Gil Sanchez Elementary

8.8/10

Belen · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.

Rio Grande Elementary

8.6/10

Belen · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.

Dennis Chavez Elementary

7.0/10

Belen · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.

How this district compares

New Mexico rank

#48 of 88

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

+0.1

above New Mexico avg

Per-pupil spending

$15,218

$3,753 vs New Mexico median

District size

3,564 students

Much larger than New Mexico median

The short answer

Belen ranks #48 of 88 New Mexico districts by overall school rating. Belen's schools with real test data average 6.3/10 across 10 schools. Its top-rated schools are Gil Sanchez Elementary (8.8/10), Rio Grande Elementary (8.6/10), and Dennis Chavez Elementary (7.0/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds
Rio Grande Elementary

Rates 8.6/10 despite 100% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.8 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Belen schools.

Top-Rated Schools in Belen

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (10 of 10). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

# School Rating
1 Gil Sanchez Elementary 8.8 / 10
2 Rio Grande Elementary 8.6 / 10
3 Dennis Chavez Elementary 7.0 / 10
4 Central Elementary 6.6 / 10
5 Belen Family School 6.5 / 10
6 La Merced Elementary 6.3 / 10
7 Belen High 5.7 / 10
8 La Promesa Elementary 5.0 / 10
9 Belen Infinity High 4.7 / 10
10 Belen Middle 3.8 / 10

See all 10 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Belen

Belen is a Belen, New Mexico school district serving 10 schools. The district educates 3,564 students with a student-teacher ratio of 16.1:1. The district invests $15,218 per student annually.

With an average rating of 6.3/10, Belen demonstrates solid academic performance.

The highest-rated school in the district is Gil Sanchez Elementary, which has a composite score of 8.8/10.

In standardized testing, Belen students show an average math proficiency of 27.8% and ELA proficiency of 35.4%.

The district includes 6 elementary schools , 2 middle schools , and 2 high schools.

District Map

Schools in Belen, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency 27.8%
School
State
N/A
ELA Proficiency 35.4%
School
State
N/A

Average proficiency across all schools in Belen with test data.

District Details

City
Belen
Total Enrollment
3,564
Teachers (FTE)
221
Child Poverty Rate
0.3%
Data Year
2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Belen?

Belen has 10 schools in total — 6 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Belen?

The average composite rating for Belen is 6.3/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.

What is the per-pupil spending in Belen?

Belen spends $15,218 per student per year.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Belen?

The average student-teacher ratio in Belen is 16.1:1.

What is the top-rated school in Belen?

Gil Sanchez Elementary is the highest-rated school in Belen with a composite score of 8.8/10.

What are the test scores in Belen?

Across schools in Belen with test data, the average math proficiency is 27.8% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 35.4%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Belen compare to other districts in New Mexico?

Belen has an average school rating of 6.3/10 across 10 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in New Mexico by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools?

MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.

District Averages

Overall Rating
6.3/10
Math Proficiency
27.8%
ELA Proficiency
35.4%

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Other School Districts in NM

Compare Belen with neighboring districts in the state.

See all districts in NM →

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, New Mexico Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.

Get school insights in your inbox

New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.