Public schools in Rio Rancho, NM
24 open public schools with an address in Rio Rancho, operated by 4 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
24
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
17,671
23 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
16.7:1
New Mexico median 12.4:1
Charter schools
3
0 virtual
An overview of Rio Rancho public schools
The federal directory lists 24 public schools in Rio Rancho, NM: 13 elementary, 4 middle, 6 high, 1 combined or other. The 23 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 17,671 students, an average of 768 per school. The largest campus is Cleveland High School (2,596 students), and the largest elementary school is Ernest Stapleton Elementary (798).
Rio Rancho Public Schools operates the most schools here (21), plus 3 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 16.7:1, higher than the statewide school median of 12.4:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 3 charter schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 5 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 5 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 90% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Rio Rancho
Elementary schools in Rio Rancho
13| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cielo Azul Elementary Rio Rancho Public Schools | KG–05 | 640 | 16.7:1 | |
| Colinas del Norte Elementary Rio Rancho Public Schools | KG–05 | 540 | 15.9:1 | |
| Enchanted Hills Elementary Rio Rancho Public Schools | KG–05 | 673 | 16.1:1 | |
| Ernest Stapleton Elementary Rio Rancho Public Schools | KG–05 | 798 | 18.9:1 | |
| Explore Academy - Rio Rancho Explore Academy - Rio Rancho · Charter | KG–08 | 430 | 13.9:1 | |
| Joe Harris Elementary Rio Rancho Public Schools | KG–05 | 574 | 17.9:1 | |
| Maggie Cordova Elementary School Rio Rancho Public Schools | KG–05 | 608 | 14.7:1 | |
| Martin King Jr Elementary Rio Rancho Public Schools | KG–05 | 569 | 18.1:1 | |
| Puesta del Sol Elementary Rio Rancho Public Schools | KG–05 | 539 | 18.3:1 | |
| Rio Rancho Elementary Rio Rancho Public Schools | KG–05 | 486 | 16:1 | |
| Sandia Vista Elementary Rio Rancho Public Schools | PK–05 | 713 | 20.3:1 | |
| Sandoval Academy of Bilingual Education Sandoval Academy of Bilingual Education · Charter | KG–08 | 222 | 13.6:1 | |
| Vista Grande Elementary Rio Rancho Public Schools | KG–05 | 786 | 23:1 |
Middle schools in Rio Rancho
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Ridge Middle Rio Rancho Public Schools | 06–08 | 732 | 14.2:1 | |
| Lincoln Middle Rio Rancho Public Schools | 06–08 | 805 | 21.6:1 | |
| Mountain View Middle Rio Rancho Public Schools | 06–08 | 931 | 22.4:1 | |
| Rio Rancho Middle School Rio Rancho Public Schools | 06–08 | 1,024 | 17.6:1 |
High schools in Rio Rancho
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland High School Rio Rancho Public Schools | 09–12 | 2,596 | 19.1:1 | |
| Independence High School Rio Rancho Public Schools · Alternative School | 09–12 | 156 | 8.2:1 | |
| Rio Rancho Cyber Academy Rio Rancho Public Schools | 06–12 | 133 | 9.5:1 | |
| Rio Rancho High Rio Rancho Public Schools | 09–12 | 2,568 | 19.8:1 | |
| Riotech Rio Rancho Public Schools | 10–12 | — | — | |
| The Ask Academy The Ask Academy · Charter | 06–12 | 558 | 13.1:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Rio Rancho
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shining Stars Preschool Rio Rancho Public Schools · Special Education School | PK–PK | 590 | 15.2:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White25.7%
- Hispanic60%
- Black1.8%
- Asian1.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native3.5%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial7.9%
Enrollment-weighted across 23 Rio Rancho schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (17,671 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Rio Rancho
How many public schools are in Rio Rancho, NM?
The current NCES directory lists 24 open public schools with a location address in Rio Rancho: 13 elementary, 4 middle, 6 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 17,671 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Rio Rancho?
Schools with an address in Rio Rancho belong to 4 education agencies, led by Rio Rancho Public Schools (21 schools), Explore Academy - Rio Rancho (1 school), Sandoval Academy of Bilingual Education (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Rio Rancho?
Cleveland High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Rio Rancho, with 2,596 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Rio Rancho?
Yes. 3 of the 24 public schools in Rio Rancho are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Explore Academy - Rio Rancho, Sandoval Academy of Bilingual Education, The Ask Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Rio Rancho schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Rio Rancho public schools is 16.7:1, higher than the New Mexico school median of 12.4:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Rio Rancho guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby New Mexico cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All New Mexico cities