West Las Vegas Schools

West Las Vegas Schools
Location
Las Vegas, New Mexico
United States
District information
TypePublic
GradesK-12
SuperintendentMr. Christopher Gutierrez
Students and staff
Students1,609
ColorsGreen/Gold
Other information
Website

West Las Vegas Public Schools is a school district based in Las Vegas, New Mexico, United States.

The district covers a 3,065-square-mile (7,940 km2) area[1] in southern San Miguel County.

Within the city of Las Vegas, the district serves areas located west of the Gallinas River. Other communities in the district include Pueblo, Ribera, San Jose, Sena, Tecolote, and Villanueva.[2]

History

Las Vegas, New Mexico, was historically two separate settlements divided by the Gallinas River: "Old Town" (West Las Vegas), dating to an 1835 Mexican land grant, and "New Town" (East Las Vegas), which developed after the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway arrived in 1879. [3] The two communities maintained separate municipal governments, and separate school systems, even after they were consolidated into a single city government in 1970. West Las Vegas Schools serves the area west of the river, while Las Vegas City Schools serves the area to the east.

In 1972, the district offered to provide bus transportation to students from Anton Chico, a community in the Santa Rosa Consolidated Schools district whose middle school had closed. The district asked the State of New Mexico to fund the transportation costs, but the New Mexico State Board of Education denied the request in January 1973.[4]

A case study by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory noted periodic public discussion of merging West Las Vegas Schools and Las Vegas City Schools into a single district to reduce costs and improve services, though no merger has occurred. [5]

Governance

The district is governed by an elected Board of Education, with seats filled through at-large local school board elections.[6] In the November 2023 election, board chairman Rolan Medrano Jr. was re-elected to a second term, joined by newcomers Christopher Lopez and Gabriel Salazar. [6]

As of 2026, Christopher Gutierrez serves as superintendent, with Darice Balizan as associate superintendent.[7] The district's administration offices are located in the Donaldo A. Martinez Administration Building in Las Vegas.[8]

2026 budget deficits and Valley Schools closure proposal

In 2026, the district began public discussion of consolidating or closing its Ribera-area schools – Valley Elementary School, Valley Middle School, and West Las Vegas Family Partnership – citing declining enrollment and budget shortfalls. District administrators reported that Valley Elementary operated at a deficit of roughly $246,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $286,000 in fiscal year 2025, that Valley Middle School operated at a deficit of roughly $367,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $261,000 in fiscal year 2025, and that West Las Vegas Family Partnership had a fiscal year 2025 deficit of roughly $67,000.[7]

Associate superintendent Darice Balizan said the closure idea was first raised at an April 14, 2026, special board meeting held for 2026-2027 budget development, and that a subsequent May 6 community meeting was intended to gather feedback rather than announce a decision. As of that meeting, no decision on closures or restructuring has been made.[7]

Schools

High school

Middle schools

  • Grades 6-8
    • Valley Middle School
    • West Las Vegas Middle School

Elementary schools

  • Grades 2-5
    • Don Cecilio Martinez Elementary School
    • Tony Serna Jr. Elementary School
    • Union Street Elementary School
  • Grades K-5
    • Valley Elementary School
  • Grades K-1
    • Luis E. Armijo Elementary School

Other Campuses

  • West Las Vegas Family Partnership
    • High School Site (Grades 7–12)
  • Rio Gallinas School (Grades 1–8)

Enrollment

  • 2007-2008 School Year: 1,795 students[9]
  • 2006-2007 School Year: 1,832 students[10]
  • 2005-2006 School Year: 2,001 students[11]
  • 2004-2005 School Year: 1,952 students[12]
  • 2003-2004 School Year: 1,999 students[13]
  • 2002-2003 School Year: 2,056 students[14]
  • 2001-2002 School Year: 2,080 students[15]
  • 2000-2001 School Year: 2,111 students[16]

Demographics

As of the 2024-2025 school year, West Las Vegas Public Schools enrolled 1,609 students across its 10 schools, with 116.85 classroom teachers (full-time equivalent) and a student/teacher ratio of 13.77:1.[17]

There were a total of 1,795 students enrolled in West Las Vegas Public Schools during the 2007–2008 school year. The gender makeup of the district was 48.30% female and 51.70% male.[18] The racial makeup of the district was 92.53% Hispanic, 5.68% White, 1.06% African American, 0.61% Native American, and 0.11% Asian/Pacific Islander.[19]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "District Size in Square Miles" (PDF). Accountability and Information Services, New Mexico Public Education Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
  2. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: San Miguel County, NM" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  3. ↑ Gregory Wyels, Joyce (December 11, 2019). "New Mexico's 'Other' Las Vegas". HistoryNet. Archived from the original on June 12, 2025. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  4. ↑ Feather, Bill (January 6, 1973). "Board Denies West Las Vegas Busing Request". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico. Associated Press. p. B-12. - Clipping from Newspapers.com. Text detail A and text detail B.
  5. ↑ "The Site: Las Vegas, New Mexico". Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Several newcomers join school boards at LVCS, WLV; two incumbents re-elected". Las Vegas Optic. November 8, 2023. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 "West Las Vegas debates closing Valley Schools". Las Vegas Optic. May 13, 2026. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Public Notice: The Board". Las Vegas Optic. March 2025. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Total Enrollment by District for School Year 2007-2008" (PDF). Information Technology Division, New Mexico Public Education Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
  10. ↑ "Total Enrollment by District for School Year 2006-2007" (PDF). Information Technology Division, New Mexico Public Education Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
  11. ↑ "Total Enrollment by District for School Year 2005-2006" (PDF). Information Technology Division, New Mexico Public Education Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
  12. ↑ "Total Enrollment by District for School Year 2004-2005" (PDF). Information Technology Division, New Mexico Public Education Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
  13. ↑ "Total Enrollment by District for School Year 2003-2004" (PDF). Information Technology Division, New Mexico Public Education Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
  14. ↑ "Total Enrollment by District for School Year 2002-2003" (PDF). Information Technology Division, New Mexico Public Education Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
  15. ↑ "Total Enrollment by District for School Year 2001-2002" (PDF). Information Technology Division, New Mexico Public Education Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
  16. ↑ "Total Enrollment by District for School Year 2000-2001" (PDF). Information Technology Division, New Mexico Public Education Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
  17. ↑ "Search for Public School Districts: West Las Vegas Public Schools". National Center for Education Statistics. U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Total Enrollment by Gender for School Year 2007-2008" (PDF). Information Technology Division, New Mexico Public Education Department. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
  19. ↑ "Total Enrollment by Ethnicity for School Year 2007-2008" (PDF). Information Technology Division, New Mexico Public Education Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2008.

35°35′37″N 105°13′33″W / 35.5936°N 105.2257°W / 35.5936; -105.2257

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