Gadsden Independent School District / Las Cruces Public Schools

New Mexico State University (NMSU) proposed an Upward Bound Program to serve the Las Cruces Public Schools (LCPS) and Gadsden Independent School District (GISD) which are located in an area that ranks among the poorest in the United States (US) in average per capita income, with 27.9% of the total population living below the poverty line and 39.4% of this figure being comprised of children. In the target area 78% of persons over 25 years of age have a high school diploma or an equivalent.  For those economically disadvantaged students who do graduate, only 40.7% continue their education by entering post-secondary institutions.

Doña Ana County (Population 214,295), where the school districts are located, is at the southernmost part of the state of New Mexico. The county adjoins the Mexican and Texas borders to the south and encompasses a total area of 3,807 square miles.  The target area’s economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, service-related industries and state and federal agencies.

According to the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) the Las Cruces Public School District is the largest school district in Doña Ana County and the second-largest within New Mexico.  The district serves students living in Las Cruces (Population 101,643) the state’s second-largest city and the county seat.  The Gadsden Independent School District is the fourth largest school district in New Mexico serving the rural and sparsely populated communities of the county. In Doña Ana County, the need to provide the educational services offered by Upward Bound is critical to enhancing the futures of the youth in the target area.

2021-2022 Academic Calendars

• Aggie Bridge – Cohort 2022
• Gadsden High School
• Santa Teresa High School
• Las Cruces High School
• Mayfield High School
• Organ Mountain High School

Objectives

• Increase Participant Academic Performance–Grade Point Average (GPA)
• Increase Participant Academic Performance on Standardized Test
• Increase Participant Secondary School Retention and Graduation 
• Increase Participant Secondary School Graduation 
• Increase Participant Post-Secondary Enrollment 
• Increase Participant Post-Secondary Completion

UB – GISD/LCPS Team

UB Advocates at Target High Schools