Welcome to Yaxche Learning Center

Yaxche is an independent, nonprofit, co-educational, school of academic excellence serving over 90 students in kindergarten through grade 9. Established in 1997, the school's 2.5-acre campus is nestled among the historic adobe buildings in downtown Taos, New Mexico, in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Through the generous donations of parents, grandparents and community members, Yaxche has recently purchased the 7-acre estate of R.C. Gorman, the internationally acclaimed Native American artist. The Gorman property offers the ideal location for Yaxche's Green Campus, which will meet the needs of our growing student body, 26% per year.

The new green campus will serve as the physical foundation for an innovative educational model that integrates environmentally sustainable and regenerative technologies into the school curriculum. Yaxche has added a ninth grade for the 2007-2008 academic year, and will continue to expand one grade per year to create the Yaxche High School.
Yaxche students develop intellectual skills as well as self-confidence, social consciousness, and commitment to the community through a comprehensive program that includes both traditional and innovative elements. Our highly qualified faculty models respect for scholarship and inspires love of learning.
Through a curriculum that emphasizes critical reading and writing, students acquire an understanding of literature, history, mathematics, science, diverse cultures, and humanity's place in the environment. The school offers further opportunities for growth through the arts, outdoor education and participation, and service learning.

HISTORY AND CAMPUS
Established: 1997
Campus: 2.5 acres in Taos, New Mexico

ACCREDITATION AGENCY
North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI)

MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATION
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)

MISSION STATEMENT
At the heart of a Yaxche education is academic excellence, earth stewardship, diversity, emotional intelligence, creativity through the arts, and social justice. We believe that education should be experiential, student-centered, participatory and rooted in community. Yaxche cultivates active life-long learners and leaders who value knowledge, self-awareness, and kinship.

ENROLLMENT
Taos County is a multicultural community continually enriched and energized by the intermingling of Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo cultures.

Total Students: 90
Ethnicity:
Hispanic: 24%
Native American: 18%
Other: 4%
Anglo/Caucasian: 54%
Average Class Size: 12
Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 1:9

TUITION
Kindergarten: $6,325.00
Grades 1 and 2: $6,975.00
Grades 3 - 5: $8,925.00
Grades 6 - 8: $10,050.00
Grades 9 and 10: $12,550.00
FEES
Capital Fee $500.00 per family
Technology Fee $250.00 (grades 3-10 only)

FINANCIAL AID
Our commitment to maintaining a diverse student population for the 1-9 program is demonstrated in our extensive scholarship program.

Students receiving: 54%
Grant totals: $178,400
Average grant: $4,045.45

FACULTY AND STAFF
Total: 14
Full-time: 12
Part-time: 2

NEW MEXICO EDUCATION STATISTICS
In 2004, New Mexico’s public schools ranked last in the nation for the third consecutive year (Morgan Quitno Press). In New Mexico’s public schools, 81% of 4th graders read below grade level, and 83% perform below grade level in math (CDF). In Taos, 4th graders perform below state levels in both reading and math (TMS).

The dropout rate in Taos is 6.2%, exceeding the state rate of 4.0% (TMS, NM PED).
In 2000, only 43.6% of Taos county residents age 18 to 24 had high school diplomas or GEDs, compared with 83% in New Mexico and 85.7% nationally (TCHP, NCES).

The Taos community is working hard to improve educational opportunities for its children, and Yaxche is a shining example of that effort.

Student Success at Yaxche

Student success may be measured better by the gleam in a student’s eyes than by high test scores. Yaxche produces both.

Yaxche average class size of 12 compares with 22 for local public first-grade classes and 24 for eighth-grade classes. Yaxche’s attendance averages 94.9%, compared with 93.0% for the Taos public schools (TMS).

Yaxche’s standardized test scores demonstrate a high level of academic achievement, and the students are tested on a more difficult measure, the Stanford Achievement Test, than are students at the local public schools, which use the TerraNova.

2005-2006, Yaxche Scores on the Stanford Achievement Test

(percent achieving at or above median)

Reading

Language

Math

Science

Listening

First
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Sixth
Seventh
Eighth

83
50
71
83
92
83
85
67

100
25
57
75
58
67
85
100

100
75
71
67
58
83
77
67

N/A
N/A
71
67
58
83
77
33

100
75
85
67
58
84
85
67

Testing Measures: Yaxche, Stanford Achievement; Taos and New Mexico, TerraNova (TMS); New Mexico and National, NAEP (“Quality Counts 2004”).

Yaxche instills the strongest integration of academic, creative, environmental, and socially responsible values in its students. Engaging the heart and mind with knowledge, abilities, integrity, and community involvement. We can and will change the world to be a better place. The generous gifts of the following foundations help Yaxche realize its vision and fulfill its mission:

Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation
Levinson Foundation
New Mexico Arts
Taos Community Foundation
Pettus Family Foundation

Sources

CDF. Children’s Defense Fund. Children in New Mexico [online]. www.childrensdefensefund.org

Morgan Quitno Press. (2004). Results of the 2004 Smartest State Award [online]. http://www.morganquitno.com/edrank04.htm

NCES. National Center for Education Statistics. (2002). Dropout Rates in the United States: 2000. U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement. NCES 2002-114.

NEA. National Education Association. (2004). Good news about public schools in New Mexico. In Good News About America’s Public Schools [online]. http://www.nea.org/goodnews/nm01.html

NM PED. New Mexico Public Education Department (2004). Quick Stats: Facts About Public Education Department [online]. http://www.sde.nm.us

Quality Counts 2004: Summary of Grades by State. (2004). Education Week on the Web [online]. http://counts.edweek.org/sreports/qc04/reports/gradesum-tl.cfm

TCHP. Taos C.A.R.E.S. Coalition & NM Dept. of Health, Improving Health Initiative. (2003). Taos County Health Profile [online]. http://www.laplaza.org/health/tchealth_profile.html