Carlsbad School District

408 North Canyon St
Carlsbad, NM 88220
(District boundaries shown in map)
6/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Carlsbad School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in New Mexico for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 3 public preschools serving 1,144 students in Carlsbad School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public pre schools in New Mexico.
Public Preschools in Carlsbad School District have an average math proficiency score of 34% (versus the New Mexico public pre school average of 26%), and reading proficiency score of 50% (versus the 32% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 71% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the New Mexico public preschool average of 84% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (NM)
# Schools
14 Schools
339 Schools
# Students
7,217 Students
102,415 Students
# Teachers
434 Teachers
8,121 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
17:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Carlsbad School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 140 school districts in New Mexico (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 76% has increased from 69% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NM)
#62 out of 141 school districts
(Top 50%)
25%
24%
32%
34%
28%
33%
(19-20)
71%
77%
(2022-23)
54.6%
43.1%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.47
0.50
% American Indian
1%
10%
% Asian
1%
1%
% Hispanic
68%
68%
% Black
1%
2%
% White
27%
16%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
2%
3%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $19,711 is higher than the state median of $15,107. The school district revenue/student has grown by 10% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $14,435 is less than the state median of $14,456. The school district spending/student has grown by 9% over four school years.
This School District
This State (NM)
Total Revenue
$142 MM
$4,694 MM
Spending
$104 MM
$4,492 MM
Revenue / Student
$19,711
$15,107
Spending / Student
$14,435
$14,456

Best Carlsbad School District Public Preschools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Ocotillo Elementary School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
2106 Captain Williams Ln
Carlsbad, NM 88220
(575) 628-4498
Gr: PK-5 | 621 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 69%
Rank: n/an/a
1801 West Lea St.
Carlsbad, NM 88220
(575) 234-3300
Gr: PK-K | 207 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 80%
Rank: n/an/a
Hillcrest Preschool
1801 West Lea St.
Carlsbad, NM 88220
(575) 234-3303
Gr: PK | 316 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 69%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 14 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 7,217 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 17:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 73%
  • : 71% (Top 50% in NM)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 25% (Top 50%)
  • : 32% (Btm 50%)
  • : 28% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NM Dept. of Education

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