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Below Average

#739 of 864 schools in NM

Zia Middle

Middle School · Las Cruces · Las Cruces, NM

A Las Cruces middle school where students score 5 points below what's typical for similar communities.

505 SOUTH MAIN SUITE 249, Las Cruces, NM 88001

  • Math 13% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 22% proficient (2022)
  • 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.6Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-2.83 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics5.1Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency13% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency22% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency18% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)22% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-4.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile32th
Resources & Environment5.5Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.9:1
District spending per student$14,965
Chronic Absenteeism43.5%

Students at Zia Middle score 18% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 22%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NM average.

Math Proficiency13%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency22%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 26 points across the 14-year record (2009–2022) and has held near 18% recently.

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
34%
ELA
52%
2010
Math
35%
ELA
53%
2011
Math
36%
ELA
57%
2012
Math
36%
ELA
57%
2013
Math
38%
ELA
62%
2014
Math
13%
ELA
20%
2015
Math
18%
ELA
27%
2016
Math
16%
ELA
28%
2017
Math
15%
2018
Math
12%
ELA
25%
2019
Math
12%
ELA
25%
2022
Math
13%
ELA
22%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 23% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 39% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

Based on 23 test records from NM state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

99.4%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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

The neighborhood

Where Zia Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 20Car-Dependent
  • Bike 39Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High5,602/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Las Cruces), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$32,978

Median home value

$158,300

Median rent

$797/mo

College educated

28.6%

Homeownership

40.9%

Poverty rate

38%

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

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
La Academia Dolores HuertaCharter · enrollment unverified8.06–80.8 mi68Compare →
Mesilla Valley Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition5.9privateK–121.6 mi392Compare →
Desert Springs Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.3privateK–112.7 mi80Compare →
Lynn MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.26–82.8 mi513Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

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

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Las Cruces

Schools in district
39
Rank in district
#36 of 39
District spending per student
$14,965NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
24.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

Zia Middle is listed in LAS CRUCES; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Zia Middle

Zia Middle is a public middle school in Las Cruces, NM, part of Las Cruces, serving approximately 626 students in grades 6th-8th with a 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 out of 10 and ranks #739 of 864 schools in NM. State assessment records show 23% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Zia Middle

What grades does Zia Middle serve?

Zia Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Zia Middle?

Zia Middle has an enrollment of approximately 626 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Zia Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Zia Middle is 14.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Zia Middle rank in NM?

Zia Middle ranks #739 of 864 schools in NM.

What is Zia Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Zia Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 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 Zia Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Zia Middle has 23% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Zia Middle a charter school?

No, Zia Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Zia Middle a Title I school?

No, Zia Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Zia Middle?

99.4% of students at Zia Middle 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 factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
626
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
42
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Doña Ana County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
43.5%
Area population (ZIP 88001)
38,972
Area average commute
16.5 min
Area median age
27.4
About this school's data

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

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

About our data · How we calculate scores

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