Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 14 schools in district

SUNSET ELEMENTARY

923 NORTH WALTER ST, CARLSBAD, NM 88220CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL SCHOOLS →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 01–05Non-Charter
356
Students
Total enrolled
$15,882
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 11% vs nat'l
16.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 7% vs nat'l
51/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 356 students in grades 01–05 in CARLSBAD, New Mexico.
11% above average funding
District spends $15,882 per pupil, 11% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 51th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

SUNSET ELEMENTARY is a mid-sized elementary in CARLSBAD, New Mexico, serving grades 01–05 with 356 students. The district invests $15,882 per student — 11% above the national average of $14,347, with a 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 32% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at SUNSET ELEMENTARY

356
Total Students
16.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
32%
Free Lunch
22
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (01–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution177 male · 179 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility32%
National avg 52% · 113 students
Student Composition
40%
57%
Asian1%
White40%
Hispanic / Latino57%
Multiracial1%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 350030000175

Academic Outcomes at SUNSET ELEMENTARY

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
51
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 51th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 82th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 88220

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,882Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,882
State avg
$19,045
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,988
Student Support$3,018
Administration$1,906
Operations$2,382
Other$1,588
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,882 spent per student, an estimated $7,036 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
42%
51%
State government
41.9%
Local (property tax)
50.9%
Federal programs
7.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
DESERT WILLOW ELEMENTARYCOTTONWOOD ELEMENTARYOCOTILLO ELEMENTARYMONTERREY ELEMENTARY
+2 more
↓
Middle
CARLSBAD INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL - PR LEYVA CAMPUSCARLSBAD SIXTH GRADE ACADEMY - ALTA VISTA CAMPUS
↓
High School
CARLSBAD HIGHCARLSBAD EARLY COLLEGE HIGH
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
Grades01 – 05
Location—
CountyEddy County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCARLSBAD MUNICIPAL SCHOOLS →
Phone: (575)234-3300
NCES ID: 350030000175
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in CARLSBAD seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL SCHOOLS
High
CARLSBAD HIGH
1,551 students · 09–12
● 51 opp27% FRL
Mid
CARLSBAD INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL - PR LEYVA CAMPUS
817 students · 06–08
● 51 opp27% FRL
Elem
DESERT WILLOW ELEMENTARY
787 students · KG–05
● 51 opp31% FRL
Elem
COTTONWOOD ELEMENTARY
760 students · 01–05
● 51 opp44% FRL
Elem
OCOTILLO ELEMENTARY
708 students · KG–05
● 51 opp25% FRL
Mid
CARLSBAD SIXTH GRADE ACADEMY - ALTA VISTA CAMPUS
705 students · 06–08
● 51 opp44% FRL
Elem
MONTERREY ELEMENTARY
329 students · KG–05
● 51 opp30% FRL
Other
HILLCREST PRESCHOOL
257 students · PK–PK
● 51 opp19% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
923 NORTH WALTER ST, CARLSBAD, NM 88220
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.