Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 10 schools in district

CENTRAL ELEMENTARY

600 W. PICARD AVE, BELEN, NM 87002BELEN CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 04–06Non-Charter
223
Students
Total enrolled
$13,914
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
14.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 223 students in grades 04–06 in BELEN, New Mexico.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,914 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
14.9 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

CENTRAL ELEMENTARY is a mid-sized middle in BELEN, New Mexico, serving grades 04–06 with 223 students. The district invests $13,914 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at CENTRAL ELEMENTARY

223
Total Students
14.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
15
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (04–06) are served by this school
Gender Distribution111 male · 112 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 223 students
Student Composition
16%
80%
White16%
Hispanic / Latino80%
Black1%
Native American3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 350018000142

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,914Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,914
State avg
$19,045
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,122
Student Support$2,644
Administration$1,670
Operations$2,087
Other$1,391
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,914 spent per student, an estimated $6,164 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
71%
State government
70.9%
Local (property tax)
13.3%
Federal programs
15.8%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 100% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
LA MERCED ELEMENTARYRIO GRANDE ELEMENTARYGIL SANCHEZ ELEMENTARYDENNIS CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY
+2 more
↓
Middle
BELEN MIDDLE
↓
High School
BELEN HIGHBELEN INFINITY HIGH
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades04 – 06
Location—
CountyValencia County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictBELEN CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS →
Phone: (505)966-1200
NCES ID: 350018000142
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in BELEN seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in BELEN CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS
High
BELEN HIGH
1,027 students · 09–12
100% FRL
Mid
BELEN MIDDLE
528 students · 07–08
100% FRL
Elem
LA MERCED ELEMENTARY
437 students · PK–06
100% FRL
Elem
RIO GRANDE ELEMENTARY
357 students · PK–06
100% FRL
Elem
GIL SANCHEZ ELEMENTARY
297 students · PK–06
100% FRL
Elem
DENNIS CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY
296 students · PK–06
100% FRL
Elem
LA PROMESA ELEMENTARY
203 students · PK–06
100% FRL
Elem
BELEN FAMILY SCHOOL
138 students · 01–08
100% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
600 W. PICARD AVE, BELEN, NM 87002
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.