Can I use Rio Arriba County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Rio Arriba County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Rio Arriba County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Rio Arriba County?

Start with the 28 listed public schools and 6 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Rio Arriba County Schools & Education

Name: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

24/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

67.6%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

67.6%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 79.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,350

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,957

School Score

24/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 33/100

State Score Position

#21

of 33 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Rio Arriba County

Measured School Summary

Rio Arriba County faces educational challenges with a school score of 24/100 and a graduation rate of 67.6%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $7,350 per pupil, Rio Arriba County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 26% below the New Mexico average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 11.4 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 8% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Rio Arriba County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

28 public schools and 6 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

24/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #21 of 33 New Mexico counties with school score data.

Completion

67.6%

11.4 pts below the state average

Funding context

$7,350

$607 below the state average

School coverage

6 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Rio Arriba County has 28 public schools across 6 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Rio Arriba County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Review-carefully county

Rio Arriba County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.

State position

#21

of 33 New Mexico counties with school score data. The county score is 9 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elementary to high school visible

2,744 students

Elementary 10Middle 1High 1Other 0

12 listed schools in this county slice.

DULCE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

Elementary to high school visible

521 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

CHAMA VALLEY INDEP. SCHOOLS

Elementary to high school visible

363 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

MESA VISTA CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS

Elementary to high school visible

246 students

Elementary 1Middle 2High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS is the largest listed district slice, with 13 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Rio Arriba County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Rio Arriba County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

A Wide-Ranging Rural School System

Rio Arriba County operates 28 public schools serving 4,137 students across six school districts. The system is heavily weighted toward early education with 17 elementary schools, alongside six middle and five high schools. One charter school operates within the county, representing a small 3.6% slice of the educational landscape.

Espanola Public Schools Leads Enrollment

Espanola Public Schools is the county's largest district, managing 13 schools and 2,954 students. Other notable districts include Chama Valley Independent and Jemez Mountain Public Schools, which serve smaller, more remote populations. Espanola Valley High is the largest school in the county with 869 students.

Predominantly Rural Learning Environments

With 22 of its 28 schools located in rural areas, the county offers a quintessential rural education experience. The average school size is 148 students, though large campuses like Carlos F. Vigil Middle (444 students) provide a more traditional town-based feel. Families can choose between very small rural elementary schools and larger hubs in the Espanola area.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Rio Arriba County

Reported Enrollment

4,137

28 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

4% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary17

Middle6

High5

Other0

6 School Districts in Rio Arriba County

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

13 schools

2,954 students

DULCE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

3 schools

521 students

CHAMA VALLEY INDEP. SCHOOLS

4 schools

363 students

MESA VISTA CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS

4 schools

246 students

JEMEZ MOUNTAIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

4 schools

171 students

LA TIERRA MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES

1 school

92 students

28 Public Schools in Rio Arriba County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 28 matching schools

Public schools in Rio Arriba County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
ESPANOLA VALLEY HIGH	Record	ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ESPANOLA, 87532Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	869
CARLOS F. VIGIL MIDDLE	Record	ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ESPANOLA, 87532Rural: Fringe	7–8	Middle	444
EUTIMIO SALAZAR ELEMENTARY	Record	ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ESPANOLA, 87532Town: Distant	PK–6	Primary	331
DULCE ELEMENTARY	Record	DULCE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS	DULCE, 87528Rural: Remote	PK–5	Primary	248
JAMES RODRIGUEZ ELEMENTARY	Record	ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ESPANOLA, 87532Town: Distant	1–6	Primary	248
SAN JUAN ELEMENTARY	Record	ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ESPANOLA, 87532Town: Distant	KG–6	Primary	208
DULCE HIGH	Record	DULCE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS	DULCE, 87528Rural: Remote	9–12	High	154
ALCALDE ELEMENTARY	Record	ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ESPANOLA, 87532Rural: Fringe	PK–6	Primary	153
ESCALANTE MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL	Record	CHAMA VALLEY INDEP. SCHOOLS	TIERRA AMARILLA, 87575Rural: Remote	7–12	High	147
CHIMAYO ELEMENTARY	Record	ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ESPANOLA, 87532Town: Distant	KG–6	Primary	126
DULCE MIDDLE	Record	DULCE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS	DULCE, 87528Rural: Remote	6–8	Middle	119
TIERRA AMARILLA ELEMENTARY	Record	CHAMA VALLEY INDEP. SCHOOLS	TIERRA AMARILLA, 87575Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	101
MESA VISTA HIGH	Record	MESA VISTA CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS	OJO CALIENTE, 87549Rural: Remote	9–12	High	95
ABIQUIU ELEMENTARY	Record	ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ABIQUIU, 87510Rural: Remote	KG–6	Primary	93
LA TIERRA MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES	Record	LA TIERRA MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES	ESPANOLA, 87532Rural: Fringe	PK–8	Charter	92
HERNANDEZ ELEMENTARY	Record	ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ESPANOLA, 87532Town: Distant	KG–6	Primary	90
CHAMA ELEMENTARY	Record	CHAMA VALLEY INDEP. SCHOOLS	CHAMA, 87520Rural: Remote	PK–5	Primary	75
LOS NINOS ELEMENTARY	Record	ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ESPANOLA, 87532Town: Distant	PK–KG	Primary	71
LYBROOK ELEMENTARY	Record	JEMEZ MOUNTAIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS	COUNSELOR, 87018Rural: Remote	PK–8	Primary	66
VELARDE ELEMENTARY	Record	ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ESPANOLA, 87532Rural: Fringe	KG–6	Primary	63

ESPANOLA VALLEY HIGH

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ESPANOLA, 87532 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High869 students

CARLOS F. VIGIL MIDDLE

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ESPANOLA, 87532 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–8Middle444 students

EUTIMIO SALAZAR ELEMENTARY

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ESPANOLA, 87532 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary331 students

DULCE ELEMENTARY

DULCE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

DULCE, 87528 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary248 students

JAMES RODRIGUEZ ELEMENTARY

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ESPANOLA, 87532 / Town: Distant

Record1–6Primary248 students

SAN JUAN ELEMENTARY

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ESPANOLA, 87532 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–6Primary208 students

DULCE HIGH

DULCE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

DULCE, 87528 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High154 students

ALCALDE ELEMENTARY

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ESPANOLA, 87532 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–6Primary153 students

ESCALANTE MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL

CHAMA VALLEY INDEP. SCHOOLS

TIERRA AMARILLA, 87575 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High147 students

CHIMAYO ELEMENTARY

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ESPANOLA, 87532 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–6Primary126 students

DULCE MIDDLE

DULCE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

DULCE, 87528 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle119 students

TIERRA AMARILLA ELEMENTARY

CHAMA VALLEY INDEP. SCHOOLS

TIERRA AMARILLA, 87575 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary101 students

MESA VISTA HIGH

MESA VISTA CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS

OJO CALIENTE, 87549 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High95 students

ABIQUIU ELEMENTARY

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ABIQUIU, 87510 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–6Primary93 students

LA TIERRA MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES

ESPANOLA, 87532 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–8Charter92 students

HERNANDEZ ELEMENTARY

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ESPANOLA, 87532 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–6Primary90 students

CHAMA ELEMENTARY

CHAMA VALLEY INDEP. SCHOOLS

CHAMA, 87520 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary75 students

LOS NINOS ELEMENTARY

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ESPANOLA, 87532 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–KGPrimary71 students

LYBROOK ELEMENTARY

JEMEZ MOUNTAIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

COUNSELOR, 87018 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–8Primary66 students

VELARDE ELEMENTARY

ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ESPANOLA, 87532 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–6Primary63 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,350

State avg $7,957

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Rio Arriba County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which New Mexico counties have the highest graduation rates?

Los Alamos County (93.0%), De Baca County (90.0%), and Mora County (90.0%) currently lead New Mexico among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in New Mexico?

Across New Mexico counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,957. The highest current county values are Catron County ($13,747), Harding County ($13,463), and Guadalupe County ($10,823). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Rio Arriba County?

Rio Arriba County has a school score of 24/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Rio Arriba County?

The high school graduation rate in Rio Arriba County is 67.6%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Rio Arriba County spend per student?

Rio Arriba County spends $7,350 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?

What are the major school districts in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?

What is the school experience like in Rio Arriba County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Doña Ana County

New Mexico

-0 pts

24/100

School score

San Juan County

New Mexico

-1 pts

24/100

School score

Luna County

New Mexico

-1 pts

23/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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