Jose J Alderete Middle

Tucked in the small community of Canutillo just northwest of El Paso, Alderete Middle stands out in the region with particularly strong science scores that put it in the top fifth of schools statewide — a real plus for families with kids who love hands-on learning. The school serves a tight-knit, predominantly Hispanic community where local roots run deep, and parents looking for a neighborhood feel without the size and noise of a large urban campus will find that here. It's the kind of place where the desert landscape and close community ties shape the culture just as much as what happens in the classroom.