RR, Bernalillo students improve reading and math scores; mixed in science

SANTA FE — Rio Rancho and Bernalillo public school elementary and middle school students made steady gains in reading and math statewide assessment scores over the last several years, but results varied in science, according to new data released by the New Mexico Department of Education.

The agency released the data, covering four different tests across grade levels 3 through 11, in a news release last week.

Officials from both school districts noted the trends and sounded positive notes about how their students will fare going forward.

"I'm very optimistic, both in the district and, now, even as a state, where we're headed," BPS Superintendent Matt Montaño said. "The answer to each of the areas of growth is a consistent expectation across the board."

Wyndham Kemsley, executive director of communications for Rio Rancho Public Schools, said in a prepared statement that the district is "encouraged" by the positive gains in assessment results while adding that officials "appreciate the hard work and dedication of our teachers, staff and students who made these improvements possible."

The assessments, administered between mid-March and the end of April each year, reflect scores from four different tests.

NM Measures of Student Success and Achievement (MSSA) evaluates English and math proficiency for students in grades 3-8. The SAT School Day assessment from the College Board evaluates students in grade 11. The NM Assessment of Science Readiness (NM-ASR) evaluates science proficiency for students in grades five, eight and 11.

English language arts

In the news release, PED said almost half of the state's students are reading at grade level, with reading proficiency reaching 44% this year, a 10-point increase since 2022.

Montaño touted his students' scores on the subject, where BPS saw a 14% increase (19% to 33%) in English language arts proficiency over the last three years.

The superintendent added, however, he would like the score to be higher even as his tenure saw the double-digit increase in proficiency.

"I have optimism we're going to grow at a faster pace in the future because it's taken us a few years to put some systems in place (and) create the instructional integrity and the support mechanisms we need for our teachers," Montaño said. "We have some great teachers out there that, with the right structures and supports, are going to start pushing the needle forward for our students."

Rio Rancho Public Schools' reading proficiency increased from 45% in 2022 to 53.85% in 2025, according to PED data.

Happy Miller, executive director of research, assessment, data and accountability for RRPS, wrote that student achievement cannot be attributed to one factor. But for reading, she credited it to "systemic professional learning in structured literacy" for teachers and "greater familiarity with relatively new English Language Arts instructional materials."

The PED cited several Rio Rancho schools for achieving the highest growth in proficiency this year. Among schools with more than 800 students, Rio Rancho High School saw 57.7% of students proficient in literacy — a 9.3% change over one year — while 25% of them were proficient in math, a 7% change, in one year. Among schools with 400-800 students, Sandia Vista Elementary School saw 48% of students proficient in math, a 9.4% increase over the same time period.

Among schools with 100-400 students, WD Carroll Elementary School in Bernalillo saw a 13.4% increase over last year in students who were proficient in math.

Math

RPPS's proficiency rate in mathematics decreased slightly, from 37% in 2022 to 34.47% in 2025.

Meanwhile, BPS saw an increase in proficiency from 8% to 13.55% over the same period.

Montaño attributed the gain to high-quality instructional materials, professional development for teachers, and leadership that is providing feedback to them.

"The reason why we're getting these areas of growth is because there's consistency around the expectations for principals and teachers," the superintendent said. "The more we do it, the better we get."

Among math and reading scores in his district, Montaño said he was concerned the Bernalillo Elementary School was "relatively flat" in proficiency for both subjects while Bernalillo High School saw decreases.

"Those are areas of concern," the superintendent said, but nevertheless, "I am optimistic because we have many people on both campuses that are very eager to implement the things that have worked in other schools."

Science

RRPS's proficiency rate in science decreased slightly from 54.7% to 52.5%.

For BPS, science proficiency increased from 15% to 19% over three years, with growth seen across all major student groups.

Montaño attributed this gain, in part, to implementing science, technology, engineering and math labs in elementary school.

"Our kids are getting STEM all year long, and not just during the testing year," he said.

For middle and high school, Montaño attributed the assessment increases to "high-quality instructional materials."

"We have a ton of work in front of us, but I think being able to show a trajectory of growth over a period of time should tell us we should be optimistic about where we're headed," Montaño said.

For RRPS, Kemsley sounded a similar note that there is more work to be done.

"Our commitment remains focused on ensuring that every student achieves at the highest level, and we will continue to build on these results through targeted support, high-quality instruction, and continuous improvement across all schools," Kemsley wrote.