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

No. Use the Sandoval 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 Sandoval 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 Sandoval County?

Start with the 43 listed public schools and 7 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Sandoval County Schools & Education

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

Sandoval County, New Mexico

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

School Score

28/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

84.9%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

84.9%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 79.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,773

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,957

School Score

28/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 33/100

State Score Position

#19

of 33 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Sandoval County

Measured School Summary

Sandoval County faces educational challenges with a school score of 28/100 and a graduation rate of 84.9%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,773 per pupil, Sandoval County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 15% below the New Mexico average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 5.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 15% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Sandoval 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

43 public schools and 7 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

28/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #19 of 33 New Mexico counties with school score data.

Completion

84.9%

5.9 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,773

$1,184 below the state average

School coverage

7 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

Sandoval County has 43 public schools across 7 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 Sandoval 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

Sandoval 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

#19

of 33 New Mexico counties with school score data. The county score is 5 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.

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elementary to high school visible

17,272 students

Elementary 12Middle 4High 4Other 1

21 listed schools in this county slice.

BERNALILLO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elementary to high school visible

2,786 students

Elementary 6Middle 3High 1Other 1

11 listed schools in this county slice.

CUBA INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

Elementary to high school visible

746 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

THE ASK ACADEMY

High school only in this slice

625 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 1Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS is the largest listed district slice, with 21 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 Sandoval County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Sandoval 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 Sandoval 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.

Expansive Education Infrastructure in Sandoval

Sandoval County supports 43 public schools and seven districts, accommodating a massive student population of 22,382. The system features a robust mix of 23 elementary, nine middle, and nine high schools to serve its growing communities.

Rio Rancho Public Schools Dominates Enrollment

Rio Rancho Public Schools is the regional powerhouse, serving 17,272 students across 21 different campuses. The county also offers educational choice through four charter schools, which make up nearly 10% of the total school inventory.

Suburban Energy and Large Campus Life

With 22 suburban and 21 rural schools, the county offers diverse learning environments where the average school size is 521 students. Cleveland High School is the largest in the county, hosting an impressive 2,631 students in a modern suburban setting.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Sandoval County

Reported Enrollment

22,382

43 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

9% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary23

Middle9

High9

Other2

7 School Districts in Sandoval County

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

BERNALILLO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

11 schools

2,786 students

CUBA INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

3 schools

746 students

THE ASK ACADEMY

1 school

625 students

JEMEZ VALLEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

4 schools

359 students

SANDOVAL ACADEMY OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION

1 school

228 students

WALATOWA CHARTER HIGH

1 school

38 students

43 Public Schools in Sandoval County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 4 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 43 matching schools

Public schools in Sandoval County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87144Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	2,631
RIO RANCHO HIGH	Profile	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87124Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,573
RIO RANCHO MIDDLE SCHOOL	Profile	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87144Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	1,143
MOUNTAIN VIEW MIDDLE	Profile	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87144Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	937
EAGLE RIDGE MIDDLE	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87124Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	823
LINCOLN MIDDLE	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87124Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	823
ERNEST STAPLETON ELEMENTARY	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87124Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	815
BERNALILLO HIGH	Record	BERNALILLO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	BERNALILLO, 87004Suburb: Large	9–12	High	806
VISTA GRANDE ELEMENTARY	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87144Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	768
ENCHANTED HILLS ELEMENTARY	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87144Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	723
CIELO AZUL ELEMENTARY	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87144Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	698
SANDIA VISTA ELEMENTARY	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87144Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	690
MAGGIE CORDOVA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87124Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	674
MARTIN KING JR ELEMENTARY	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87124Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	628
THE ASK ACADEMY	Record	THE ASK ACADEMY	RIO RANCHO, 87124Suburb: Large	6–12	Charter	625
SHINING STARS PRESCHOOL	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87144Rural: Fringe	PK	Special Education	612
PUESTA DEL SOL ELEMENTARY	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87124Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	597
COLINAS DEL NORTE ELEMENTARY	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87144Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	584
RIO RANCHO ELEMENTARY	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87124Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	534
JOE HARRIS ELEMENTARY	Record	RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	RIO RANCHO, 87124Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	517

CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87144 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High2,631 students

RIO RANCHO HIGH

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87124 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,573 students

RIO RANCHO MIDDLE SCHOOL

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87144 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,143 students

MOUNTAIN VIEW MIDDLE

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87144 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle937 students

EAGLE RIDGE MIDDLE

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87124 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle823 students

LINCOLN MIDDLE

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87124 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle823 students

ERNEST STAPLETON ELEMENTARY

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87124 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary815 students

BERNALILLO HIGH

BERNALILLO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

BERNALILLO, 87004 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High806 students

VISTA GRANDE ELEMENTARY

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87144 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary768 students

ENCHANTED HILLS ELEMENTARY

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87144 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary723 students

CIELO AZUL ELEMENTARY

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87144 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary698 students

SANDIA VISTA ELEMENTARY

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87144 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary690 students

MAGGIE CORDOVA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87124 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary674 students

MARTIN KING JR ELEMENTARY

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87124 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary628 students

THE ASK ACADEMY

RIO RANCHO, 87124 / Suburb: Large

Record6–12Charter625 students

SHINING STARS PRESCHOOL

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87144 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPKSpecial Education612 students

PUESTA DEL SOL ELEMENTARY

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87124 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary597 students

COLINAS DEL NORTE ELEMENTARY

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87144 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary584 students

RIO RANCHO ELEMENTARY

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87124 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary534 students

JOE HARRIS ELEMENTARY

RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RIO RANCHO, 87124 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary517 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,773

State avg $7,957

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Sandoval 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 Sandoval County?

Sandoval County has a school score of 28/100, 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 Sandoval County?

The high school graduation rate in Sandoval County is 84.9%, 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 Sandoval County spend per student?

Sandoval County spends $6,773 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 Sandoval County, New Mexico — FAQ

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

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

What is the school experience like in Sandoval County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Lea County

New Mexico

+1 pts

28/100

School score

Socorro County

New Mexico

-1 pts

27/100

School score

Cibola County

New Mexico

+1 pts

29/100

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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