Skip to main content

Public elementary school · Las Cruces · Las Cruces, New Mexico

University Hills Elementary

University Hills Elementary rates 6.9, right at the middle of Las Cruces's elementary schools, whose rated median is 6.5.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
6.9this school

6.9 on a one-to-ten scale; the Las Cruces median is 6.5.

#292 of 874 schools in New Mexico · Las Cruces: 24 elementary schools rated, median 6.5

The brief

A Las Cruces elementary school where students score 12 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 292 of 874 schools in New Mexico and 14 of 39 in Las Cruces.

University Hills Elementary is listed in Las Cruces, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math32%148 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Reading37%146 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Proficiency is down 15 points across the 14-year record (2009–2022) and has held near 35% recently.2022 EdFacts; 23 test records from NM state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
5.9
50% of the rating
Academics
8.5
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
7.2
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2024

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 36% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 42% (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 88001; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
University Hills Elementary and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$32,978
Median home value
$158,300
Median rent
$797/mo
College educated
28.6%
Homeownership
40.9%
Poverty rate
38%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 88001; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
65
Somewhat Walkable
Bike Score
87
Very Bikeable
City reported crime
4,149/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Las Cruces. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Las Cruces), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
98.2%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 7.9Compare →
  2. 7.0Compare →
  3. 7.0Compare →
  4. University Hills Elementarythis school
    6.9
  5. 6.2Compare →
  6. 6.2Compare →
  7. 5.6Compare →
  8. 4.9Compare →
  9. 4.8Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and three rate higher than University Hills Elementary.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does University Hills Elementary serve?

University Hills Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend University Hills Elementary?

University Hills Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 341 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at University Hills Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at University Hills Elementary is 11.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does University Hills Elementary rank in NM?

University Hills Elementary ranks #292 of 874 schools in NM.

What is University Hills Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

University Hills Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.9 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at University Hills Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, University Hills Elementary has 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is University Hills Elementary a charter school?

No, University Hills Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is University Hills Elementary a Title I school?

No, University Hills Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for University Hills Elementary?

98.2% of students at University Hills Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
341
Student-teacher ratio
11.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
30
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Midsize City
County
Doña Ana County
Rank in district
#14 of 39
Schools in district
39
District spending per student
$14,965
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
24.3%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 88001)
38,972
Area average commute
16.5 min
Area median age
27.4

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

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.