Dulce

The Dulce area is home to three schools - Dulce Elementary, Dulce High, and Dulce Middle - all of which serve students from the Dulce district. Unfortunately, the data paints a concerning picture, as these schools consistently rank in the bottom tiers of their respective school types in New Mexico, indicating persistent struggles to provide quality education.

All three Dulce schools have significantly lower proficiency rates compared to state averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, in 2023-2024, Dulce Elementary had only 12% proficiency in ELA compared to the state average of 39%. Additionally, the schools have 100% of their students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting the community faces significant economic hardship. While the student-teacher ratios are relatively low, the 4-year graduation rate at Dulce High is below the state average at 76.7%.

The combination of low test scores, high poverty levels, and below-average graduation rates points to a need for targeted interventions and support to improve educational outcomes in the Dulce area. The remote location and small size of the schools may present unique challenges, such as difficulty attracting and retaining high-quality teachers, limited resources, and fewer educational opportunities for students. Addressing these underlying socioeconomic and systemic issues will be crucial to providing a quality education for the students in this community.