Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 21 schools in district

INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL

421 QUANTUM RD NE, RIO RANCHO, NM 87124RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
211
Students
Total enrolled
55%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 37% vs nat'l
$13,705
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
13.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 15% vs nat'l
33/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 35% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 211 students in grades 09–12 in RIO RANCHO, New Mexico.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,705 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 33th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL is a mid-sized high in RIO RANCHO, New Mexico, serving grades 09–12 with 211 students. The district invests $13,705 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 33/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL

211
Total Students
13.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
16
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution114 male · 97 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 211 students
Student Composition
18%
68%
8%
Asian1%
White18%
Hispanic / Latino68%
Black1%
Multiracial5%
Native American8%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 350001000805

Academic Outcomes at INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
50-59
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
55%
State avg
73%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
33
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 33th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 5th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 87124

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,705Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,705
State avg
$19,045
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,030
Student Support$2,604
Administration$1,645
Operations$2,056
Other$1,370
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,705 spent per student, an estimated $6,071 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
75%
15%
State government
74.5%
Local (property tax)
14.8%
Federal programs
10.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 55% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (33/100) — national median is 50
  • 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
ERNEST STAPLETON ELEMENTARYVISTA GRANDE ELEMENTARYENCHANTED HILLS ELEMENTARYCIELO AZUL ELEMENTARY
+8 more
↓
Middle
RIO RANCHO MIDDLE SCHOOLMOUNTAIN VIEW MIDDLEEAGLE RIDGE MIDDLELINCOLN MIDDLE
↓
High School
CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOLRIO RANCHO HIGHRIO RANCHO CYBER ACADEMY
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountySandoval County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictRIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS →
Phone: (505)338-4658
NCES ID: 350001000805
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in RIO RANCHO seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
High
CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL
2,631 students · 09–12
18% FRL
High
RIO RANCHO HIGH
2,573 students · 09–12
● 33 opp22% FRL
Mid
RIO RANCHO MIDDLE SCHOOL
1,143 students · 06–08
24% FRL
Mid
MOUNTAIN VIEW MIDDLE
937 students · 06–08
14% FRL
Mid
EAGLE RIDGE MIDDLE
823 students · 06–08
● 33 opp100% FRL
Mid
LINCOLN MIDDLE
823 students · 06–08
● 33 opp21% FRL
Elem
ERNEST STAPLETON ELEMENTARY
815 students · KG–05
● 33 opp17% FRL
Elem
VISTA GRANDE ELEMENTARY
768 students · KG–05
10% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
421 QUANTUM RD NE, RIO RANCHO, NM 87124
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.