The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Christine Duncan Heritage Academy
Christine Duncan Heritage Academy is a public charter school serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade on Albuquerque's West Side, along Atrisco Drive NW. It sits within the Albuquerque Public Schools boundary but operates independently as a charter. The school serves a moderately sized student body spread fairly evenly across grade levels, from a pre-k cohort through eighth grade.
The student population is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with a small number of white and American Indian students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the economic profile of the surrounding neighborhood. The school does not report data for English learners or students with individualized education programs, so a parent looking for those figures would need to ask the school directly.
On the most recent New Mexico state assessments, proficiency results were low across all three tested subjects. In English language arts, roughly a quarter of tested students in grades three through eight reached proficiency. In math, the share was lower still, and science results were also low, based on a smaller group of tested students in the grades where the science assessment applies. Only one year of results is available, so there is no trend to compare against. A parent considering this school may want to ask how the school is responding to these results and what instructional supports are in place.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. This is standard for a pre-k through eighth grade school. We also did not find data on discipline, course access, staffing ratios, or attendance, nor information about Title I status. Program offerings were not available in the data provided.
Albuquerque is New Mexico's largest city, and the school's location on the West Side places it in a quadrant defined by the Rio Grande bosque to the east and the West Mesa and Petroglyph National Monument to the west. The city is sprawling and car-oriented, with walkable nodes concentrated in older areas like Old Town, Downtown, and the Nob Hill corridor near the University of New Mexico. The West Side, where the school sits, is more suburban in character, with residential developments and commercial corridors extending outward from the mesa.
The housing market in the school's zip code is moderately priced by national standards. Typical home values sit somewhat above the state benchmark and roughly in line with the national benchmark, while rents are modest. Monthly mortgage costs run higher than typical rents, which means renting may be the more affordable option for families in this area. Home values have moved up slightly year over year, while rents have dipped marginally.
The city's economy is anchored by federal installations like Sandia National Laboratories and Kirtland Air Force Base, the University of New Mexico, state and local government, and a growing film and media sector that includes a Netflix production hub. Publicly reported sources note the city's population has been roughly flat to slightly declining, while the broader metro area has grown. The city government has flagged affordable housing access as a strategic priority.
We looked for recent district-level changes from Albuquerque Public Schools that would be relevant to parents and found none reported, so that information is not included here.
For a family evaluating Christine Duncan Heritage Academy, the school offers a pre-k through eighth grade charter pathway in a suburban West Side neighborhood with relatively affordable housing. The academic results on state tests are a soft spot, and the available data does not include details on programs, staffing, or student support services that might contextualize those numbers. A parent would benefit from visiting the school, asking about instructional approach and intervention strategies, and understanding what the charter's specific mission and heritage focus bring to the classroom.
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