The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in English language arts. The lowest is 21% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on W D Gattis Middle School
W D Gattis Middle School sits on the high plains of eastern New Mexico, serving seventh and eighth graders in Clovis as part of Clovis Municipal Schools. The school draws from a community shaped by several forces: Cannon Air Force Base to the west, the BNSF Railway's busy freight corridor through town, a large cheese processing operation between Clovis and neighboring Portales, and the surrounding peanut, cotton, and cattle land. The cost of living runs well below the national average, and housing in the school's zip code is quite affordable compared with state and national benchmarks, with home values far below what families would encounter in most of New Mexico.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial White enrollment and a smaller Black population. The free and reduced-price lunch count exceeds total enrollment, which typically reflects a community eligibility provision where the school serves a universally low-income population. This is common in communities where military, agricultural, and industrial employers set the local wage structure. The enrollment is moderate for a two-grade middle school, with roughly equal numbers across seventh and eighth grades.
State assessment results from the most recent school year show a mixed academic picture. English language arts proficiency sits at a moderate level, with nearly half of tested students reaching proficiency. Science falls below that literacy rate but above mathematics. Mathematics is the clearest soft spot, with a comparatively small share of students demonstrating proficiency. A parent considering this school may want to look into how the school supports math instruction and what interventions are available for students working below grade level. The state did not report participation rates or average scale scores, so the proficiency figures stand without that additional context. Only one year of data was available, so no trend could be assessed.
Because W D Gattis serves only seventh and eighth grades, there is no graduation rate to report. The school does not serve the elementary grades that carry state testing in earlier years, nor the high school grades where graduation and college-readiness metrics apply. Data on special education enrollment, English learner identification, course access, discipline, staffing, and attendance was not reported in the available sources, so those dimensions of school life could not be assessed here.
The broader district context offers a positive signal. Clovis Municipal Schools is in the midst of a multi-site construction and renovation program funded by a voter-approved bond issue, with work underway at school buildings across the district. This represents a tangible investment in facilities that students and teachers use every day.
Clovis itself is an auto-oriented micropolitan city, spread out and low-density, with U.S. Routes passing through as major arterials. The downtown area has a recognizable core anchored by the Art Deco Hotel Clovis, which is being renovated into affordable housing. The city has multiple public parks with artificial ponds. No public transit system was identified in publicly reported sources. The community's population has seen a slight decline rather than growth in recent years, and a major water infrastructure project, the Ute Reservoir pipeline, is under construction to secure drinking water for Cannon Air Force Base and surrounding communities by the end of the decade.
For families connected to the military, the railroad, agriculture, or local industry, W D Gattis represents the middle school option within this high-plains community. The academic results suggest relative strength in literacy, with science and especially mathematics trailing behind. The facility investments across the district may improve the learning environment in coming years. The affordability of housing in the area is a practical draw, though the flat, wind-driven terrain and auto-dependent layout are factors in daily life that families accustomed to denser, more walkable settings would need to weigh.
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