The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Pojoaque Intermediate
Pojoaque Intermediate is a two-grade public school serving fourth and fifth graders in the Pojoaque district, with a Santa Fe mailing address along State Road 502. It is a regular, non-charter school, and its enrollment is small for its grade band. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a meaningful American Indian and Alaska Native presence and a small number of white and Asian students. Well over half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which gives a sense of the economic context many families here are working within. Data on students receiving special education services or English-language-learner supports was not available, so those shares cannot be characterized here.
On the most recent New Mexico state assessments, the school's results were mixed. In English language arts, a moderate share of tested students reached proficiency, which stands as the school's relative bright spot. Math proficiency was considerably lower, and science was lower still. These are the only year of results available, so there is no trend to speak of. A parent weighing this school may want to look into how the district supports math and science instruction across the upper elementary grades, and whether any interventions or curricular changes are underway. The data we have does not speak to that either way.
Because the school serves only fourth and fifth grades, certain common metrics simply do not apply. There is no graduation rate, no high school course access, no college or career pathway information. State testing does cover these grades, and the results above reflect the assessments given to students here. Participation-rate figures were missing from the available data, and average scale scores were not reported, so proficiency rates are the main academic window available.
The surrounding area carries a particular character. Santa Fe is the state capital, and its economy draws heavily on government employment as well as a large cultural and arts sector. The city is publicly reported to have one of the highest concentrations of writers and authors in the labor force of any U.S. city, and roughly a tenth of all employment ties to artistic and cultural industries. The built environment is defined by adobe-style Pueblo Revival and Territorial Revival architecture, with civic life centered on the historic Plaza and the surrounding district. Pojoaque itself is a separate community north of Santa Fe proper, and the district covers both towns. The locale brief did not surface specific recent development or housing-growth details for the immediate area around the school.
The housing market in this zip code is expensive relative to both state and national benchmarks. Home values sit well above the New Mexico median, and the estimated monthly mortgage cost far exceeds typical rent. Rent itself is not cheap, but it runs materially below what a mortgage would require at current rates. The price-to-income ratio is high, which means families earning a median household income would find purchasing here a stretch. This matters for families considering a move into the attendance area.
We looked for parent-relevant changes in the Pojoaque district, such as recent referendums, curriculum overhauls, or staffing shifts, and found little that met a lasting-impact threshold, so there is nothing to report on that front. Information on discipline, attendance, staffing ratios, course access, and Title I status was not available for this school. Civil-rights data was also absent. These gaps leave a thinner picture than some families may want, and contacting the district directly would be a reasonable next step for anyone wanting detail on student supports, special education services, or school climate.
What the available evidence does show is a small upper-elementary school serving a largely Hispanic and Native community in a region where housing costs run high and the broader economy leans on government and the arts. Academic results are strongest in reading and weaker in math and science, with no multi-year trend yet visible. For a family already in the Pojoaque area, the school is a local two-year stop between early elementary and middle school. For a family considering a move, the cost of living in this zip code is a factor that likely outweighs the school's academics in the short-term decision, and worth weighing alongside whatever the district can share directly about supports and plans for the grades this building serves.
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