What Gadsden Independent School District does

Gadsden Independent School District (GISD) is a public K-12 school district headquartered at 4950 McNutt Rd in Sunland Park, New Mexico, operating under the oversight of the New Mexico Public Education Department as a government state entity. The district serves approximately 14,200 students from preschool through 12th grade across a 1,400-square-mile service area covering southern Dona Ana County and Southern Otero County, delivered through a network of 24 educational facilities (5 high schools, 3 middle schools, 14 elementary schools, 1 early childhood Pre-K program) plus 2 administrative facilities. GISD's footprint spans roughly 40 miles in length and 25 miles in width along the U.S.–Mexico border region, with its name tracing back to the 1853 Gadsden Purchase.

GISD delivers comprehensive academic, special education, career and technical education, and early college programming, including the Alta Vista Early College High School where students earn concurrent college credit. Differentiated programs include bilingual/bicultural curriculum, the new Riverside Pre-K campus (opened March 2026), the On-Track Pre-K program, Project SEARCH, a Spanish Spelling Bee, a 1-to-1 student device initiative, and the Educator Fellows Program for paid teacher licensure pathways. The district reports an 86% graduation rate with a board-stated goal of 91%, and several high schools have been recognized among the top-performing schools in New Mexico for graduation rates.

The district's operating technology stack comprises third-party EdTech integrations rather than proprietary systems: Clever for single sign-on, PowerSchool for student information, ParentSquare for family communication, Follett Destiny for library management, Google Workspace for staff productivity, and multiple assessment and intervention platforms (WIDA ACCESS, Istation, CollegeBoard, Cognia, Dynamic Learning Maps, Kite Portal, Illuminate Education, Lexia, MobyMax, Reading Plus, MyAscendMath, RethinkEd/RethinkCare). The business model is non-commercial: GISD is funded by federal, state, and local tax sources and provides free K-12 education to in-district students, with revenue derived from state equalization funding rather than tuition or fees. The district is governed by an elected five-member Board of Education, with Nubia Tarazona selected as Superintendent in April 2026.

Name

Gadsden Independent School District

Legal name

Gadsden Independent School District

Website

https://gisd.k12.nm.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1853

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Gadsden Independent School District is a publicly funded K-12 school district in southern New Mexico serving approximately 14,200 students across 24 schools spanning a 1,400-square-mile border region with bilingual, early college, and career-technical programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Alternative Schools (Behavioral/Disciplinary & Nontraditional Settings) (EDAJAEAC)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• Early college programs
• Bilingual education services
• Special education services
• Career technical education

Headquarters

HQ city

Sunland Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gadsden Independent School District provides free public K-12 education to approximately 14,200 students from preschool through 12th grade across 24 educational facilities in southern New Mexico. Core offerings include standard academic programming at elementary, middle, and high school levels, an early college program for dual enrollment, career and technical education, special education services, bilingual instruction, and student support services including nutrition, transportation, library media, and technology (including a 1-to-1 student device program).

Product overview

Gadsden Independent School District is a traditional public school district providing comprehensive K-12 education services. The district operates a portfolio of 24 educational facilities consisting of 5 high schools (including an early college and alternative program), 3 middle schools, and 14 elementary schools, plus an early childhood On-Track Pre-K program. The district serves approximately 14,200 students across 1,400 square miles in southern Dona Ana County and Southern Otero County, New Mexico. Educational offerings include standard academic programs, special education services, career and technical education (CTE), and an early college program enabling students to earn college credits. The district supports its schools with centralized departments for technology (including a 1-to-1 device program), student nutrition, transportation, testing and evaluation, and library media services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alta Vista Early College High School Early college high school program allowing students to earn college credits while completing high school requirements, located within Gadsden ISD.
• Chaparral High School Traditional high school serving high school students in the Chaparral area of Gadsden ISD.
• Desert Pride Academy Alternative high school program within Gadsden ISD for students seeking a non-traditional high school setting.
• Gadsden High School Traditional high school serving high school students in the Gadsden area of Gadsden ISD.
• Santa Teresa High School Traditional high school serving high school students in the Santa Teresa area of Gadsden ISD.
• Chaparral Middle School Middle school serving middle-grade students in the Chaparral area of Gadsden ISD.
• Gadsden Middle School Middle school serving middle-grade students in the Gadsden area of Gadsden ISD.
• Santa Teresa Middle School Middle school serving middle-grade students in the Santa Teresa area of Gadsden ISD.
• On-Track Pre-K Program Pre-kindergarten early childhood education program for young learners within Gadsden ISD, complemented by the new Riverside Pre-K campus.
• Special Education Services Comprehensive special education services including evaluations, individualized education plans, and specialized instruction for students with disabilities, including the San Miguel Special Services Department, Project SEARCH, Lexia, Unique Learning System, MobyMax, Reading Plus, MyAscendMath, RethinkEd, and RethinkCare.
• Career and Technical Education (CTE) Career and technical education programs preparing Gadsden ISD students for workforce entry and higher education through technical skills training and industry partnerships.
• Student Nutrition Program School meal services providing nutritious meals to Gadsden ISD students, including the free/reduced-price meal program.
• Transportation Services Student transportation services including bus routes and activity-vehicle transportation for Gadsden ISD students across the district's 1,400-square-mile service area.
• Technology Department Services District technology services including the 1-to-1 student device program, broadband connectivity, instructional technology integration, and help-desk support.
• Library Media Services District library services promoting reading and literacy for Gadsden ISD students, including the Gadsden's Enchanted Reading Challenge, supported by Follett Destiny.
• Testing and Evaluation Services District-wide assessment and evaluation services including standardized testing, WIDA ACCESS for English language learners, Istation, CollegeBoard SAT/PSAT/AP, Cognia accreditation, Dynamic Learning Maps, and Kite Portal.
• Educator Fellows Program Paid pathway program for Educational Assistants and aspiring educators to become licensed teachers while working in Gadsden ISD. Participants are paid, gain classroom experience, and receive support toward teacher licensure.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration33 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chaparral Cable Vision / Chaparral WirelesscoreOthersPartnership providing FREE internet service at home for Gadsden ISD student households. This addresses digital equity and homework gap issues for families who may not otherwise have internet access.
• ClevercoreTechnology or IntegrationSingle sign-on integration platform providing students and staff access to educational applications through the Clever portal. Allows seamless authentication to multiple district technology resources.
• ParentSquarecoreTechnology or IntegrationDistrict communication platform used for announcements, messaging, and engagement between schools and families. Powers the district's website content management system.
• Follett DestinycoreTechnology or IntegrationLibrary management system used across district schools for managing library collections, student access, and digital resources through Destiny-Libraries.
• WIDAcoreTechnology or IntegrationAssessment consortium providing English language proficiency standards and assessments for multilingual learners in the district.
• CollegeBoardcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides SAT/PSAT testing, AP exams, and college readiness resources for high school students.
• New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED)coreOthersState education department providing oversight, funding, assessment requirements, and regulatory compliance for the district.
• Office of the Special Education Ombud (OSEO)minorOthersState office providing advocacy and guidance for students and families navigating the special education system in New Mexico.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Albuquerque Public Schools: Largest New Mexico public school district; comparable in governance structure and bilingual programming though operates at much greater scale in an urban setting.
• El Paso Independent School District: Large Texas border public school district serving a comparable bilingual/Hispanic student population just south of GISD. Comparable in mission and demographic profile though significantly larger in scale.
• Santa Fe Public Schools: New Mexico public school district with comparable bilingual education needs and state regulatory framework, though more urban in character than GISD.

Direct peers

• Las Cruces Public Schools: Neighboring New Mexico public school district also serving a bilingual border-region population in Doña Ana County. Most operationally comparable peer given geography, demographics, and bilingual programs.
• Socorro Independent School District: Texas border-region public school district adjacent to El Paso with overlapping bilingual education needs and similar rural/suburban mix of schools.
• Ysleta Independent School District: El Paso-area border public school district serving a heavily bilingual, low-income population. Comparable in scale, demographic, and program offerings.

Regional players

• Anthony Independent School District: Small Texas border school district immediately adjacent to GISD across the state line. Closest geographic peer and comparable in bilingual/border community mission.
• Canutillo Independent School District: Texas border public school district serving a comparable bilingual, low-income population in the El Paso lower valley, geographically adjacent to GISD's service area.
• Deming Public Schools: Southern New Mexico public school district serving a rural, high-poverty, bilingual population. Comparable in mission and demographic challenge profile.
• Hatch Valley Public Schools: Small southern New Mexico public school district serving a predominantly Hispanic, bilingual agricultural community in Doña Ana County—closely comparable rural border district.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GadsdenISD_NM

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gadsden Independent School District