The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in English language arts. The lowest is 35% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Horizon Academy West
Horizon Academy West is a charter elementary school in northwest Albuquerque serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. As a charter, it operates as its own district under a contract that was publicly reported as renewed in 2023 for a five-year term running through 2028, giving families some assurance about the school's continued operation over the near term.
One of the most distinctive things about this school is its schedule. Horizon Academy West publicly reports that it operates on a four-day instructional week, Monday through Thursday. That structure carries real consequences for family logistics, childcare arrangements, and daily routines. For some families, a compressed week is a genuine benefit, freeing up Fridays for family time or other activities. For working parents, the three-day weekend every week may create childcare challenges that need solving. Families will weigh this differently depending on their circumstances.
The school sits in Albuquerque's northwest quadrant. The city is publicly reported as New Mexico's largest, sprawling across mesas and valleys with the Rio Grande running through its center. The Sandia Mountains rise to the east and Petroglyph National Monument stretches along the West Mesa. The school's zip code area shows typical home values somewhat above the state benchmark and roughly in line with national figures, while rents run below national levels. The broader city economy is anchored by Sandia National Laboratories, Kirtland Air Force Base, the University of New Mexico, and a growing film and media sector. Albuquerque's population has been roughly flat to slightly declining in recent years, so the school operates in a community that is not growing rapidly.
On state assessments, the school's results show a real split between subjects. English language arts is the clear strength, with well over half of tested students reaching proficiency. Math results sit below that mark, with fewer than half of students proficient. Science results, drawn from a smaller group of tested students in the upper elementary grades, are weaker still. Only one year of data is available, so it is not yet possible to see whether these results represent an improving, stable, or declining trajectory. A parent weighing this school may want to ask about how the school supports math instruction and what interventions are in place for students who are not yet proficient.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, reflecting the broader demographic of Albuquerque and New Mexico. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a moderate share that sits below what many urban public schools serve. The enrollment is mid-sized for an elementary school, with a fairly even distribution across grade levels. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available in the sources reviewed, so families whose children receive special education or English language services should ask the school directly about what supports are in place.
Because Horizon Academy West serves only pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate, no advanced coursework data, and no high school course access to report. Those measures do not apply to a school at this grade band. State testing covers grades three through five, which is standard for elementary schools and explains why only a subset of enrolled students appears in the tested counts.
Several other gaps are worth naming. We looked for information on staffing ratios, discipline data, attendance patterns, and specific program offerings, but the available sources did not provide them. We also did not find a county-level comparison set for this school, so we cannot position its results against nearby districts or charters with the data at hand. The school's own website and the New Mexico Public Education Department would be the logical next stops for families wanting fuller detail.
What the available picture shows is a charter elementary school with a solid English language arts program, work to do in math and science, a distinctive four-day week that will be either a draw or a barrier depending on a family's life, and a stable charter status through the end of the decade.
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