The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in English language arts. The lowest is 39% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Yeso Elementary
Yeso Elementary is a regular public school serving first through fifth grades in Artesia, a small city in southeastern New Mexico's Eddy County. It is one of five elementary schools operated by the Artesia Public School District, which also runs intermediate, junior high, and high school campuses distributed across separate sites throughout town rather than on a single education campus. The school sits on Centre Avenue, in a residential community shaped by the oil and gas industry, agriculture, and dairy. The Navajo Refinery, the largest refinery in New Mexico, anchors the local economy at the corner of First and Main. Artesia is a car-dependent place, with commercial strips along its highway corridors and a compact downtown that offers bronze statues, murals, the Ocotillo Performing Arts Center, and a library recognized for its architecture and Peter Hurd fresco. The city has seen steady population growth over recent decades, and civic investment has brought a new aquatic center and developing trail areas.
The school serves an enrollment that is moderate for its grade band, with roughly even distribution across the five grade levels. A majority of students identify as Hispanic, with a sizable white population and small numbers from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school does not report English learner or special education population figures, so those demographics are not available here.
On the most recent New Mexico state assessments, Yeso Elementary's results present a mixed picture. English language arts is the school's strongest subject, with a clear majority of tested students scoring proficient or above. Math proficiency sits below that of ELA but still represents a solid portion of students meeting the bar. Science results are the weakest of the three subjects, with a smaller share of students reaching proficiency. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly if science learning is a priority for their child. Only one year of data is available, so there is no trend to examine for whether results are improving or declining over time. Participation rate data was not reported, and average scale scores were not available.
Artesia sits in a housing market that is more affordable than both the state and national benchmarks. Typical home values in the school's zip code run below the New Mexico statewide figure and well below the national one. Rents are also present in the market. The price-to-income ratio suggests that buying a home here is within reach for many households relative to broader national affordability patterns. The local economy, heavily tied to energy extraction and refining, has historically been a stabilizing force, though families should be aware that oil and gas markets can be cyclical.
Information on Title I status, charter or magnet designations, discipline data, course offerings, staffing, and attendance was not available for this school. The district brief did not surface any recent parent-relevant changes in Artesia Public Schools. A neighbor comparison fact-set was also not provided, so this school's performance is not positioned against nearby schools in the county.
What a parent can take from this is a straightforward read. Yeso Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in an energy-dependent small city, with a student body that is predominantly Hispanic and has a meaningful share of economically disadvantaged students. Its ELA results are a clear strength, math is middling, and science lags behind both. Families considering this school should weigh the community's industrial character and limited walkability, its affordable housing, and the absence of detailed program and support data when making decisions. Asking the school directly about science instruction, specialized services, and any enrichment or intervention offerings would be a reasonable next step.
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