The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in English language arts. The lowest is 41% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Tony Hillerman Middle School
Tony Hillerman Middle School sits on Rainbow Boulevard in northwest Albuquerque, serving sixth through eighth graders as part of Albuquerque Public Schools, one of the largest districts in the country. The school is a regular public middle school, neither a charter nor a magnet, and it draws from the surrounding residential neighborhoods of the city's northwest quadrant. Albuquerque itself is New Mexico's largest city, built across a sprawling grid of four quadrants divided by Central Avenue and the railroad tracks. The northwest side, where Hillerman is located, is a mix of established suburban development and newer growth on the West Mesa, with the Petroglyph National Monument nearby preserving Native American rock art along the volcanic escarpment. The Rio Grande bosque runs north-south through the metro area, and the Sandia Mountains rise to the east.
The school serves a large middle school population, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across the three grade levels. Its student body is majority Hispanic, with a sizable white population and smaller groups identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native, two or more races, Asian, and Black. A majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which points to a economically mixed community with a substantial share of families working within or near that threshold. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available, so those populations cannot be characterized here. A parent considering this school may want to ask directly about special education services and English-language support, since those figures were missing from what we received.
Academically, the most recent state assessment results show a school with a clear strength in English language arts. The share of students scoring proficient or above in ELA was solidly above the midpoint, suggesting that reading and writing instruction is an area where the school is moving a majority of its students toward grade-level expectations. Math proficiency was more modest, with fewer than half of tested students reaching proficiency, and science landed in a similar range. These are not low scores relative to many New Mexico middle schools, but the gap between ELA and math is wide enough that a parent whose child needs strong math support may want to look into how the school structures intervention and enrichment in that subject. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability. Participation rates and average scale scores were also missing from the data provided.
Because this is a middle school serving only grades six through eight, there is no graduation rate to report and no high school course catalog to describe. Information on course access, program offerings, extracurriculars, staffing ratios, attendance, and discipline was not available in the data we received. These gaps are common for middle schools in datasets focused on accountability metrics, and they do not by themselves indicate a problem, but they do leave questions about the day-to-day school environment unanswered. A family touring Hillerman would want to ask about electives, after-school activities, counseling support, and how the school handles behavioral expectations.
The surrounding housing market in this part of Albuquerque is moderately priced relative to national figures, with typical home values sitting slightly above the state benchmark and close to the national one. Rents have edged down slightly over the past year, while home values have crept up marginally. For families looking to buy or rent near the school, the area is accessible but not inexpensive by New Mexico standards, and mortgage costs at current interest rates run above typical rents for comparable homes.
The district brief turned up no recent parent-relevant policy changes, curriculum shifts, bond issues, or budget decisions that would affect a family's decision right now. That search came back empty rather than reassuring, so it is worth checking with Albuquerque Public Schools directly for any updates that postdate the available research.
See more original research from School Decision →