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Happy National Charter Schools Week! New Mexico is home to 100 public charter schools that serve over 30,000 students in Pre-K through 12th grade. To honor New Mexico’s charter schools, we have assembled 10 must-read articles about New Mexico’s charter schools from our education news site, New Mexico Education. Each article offers a unique perspective on New Mexico’s charter school landscape. You can learn about how charter schools are improving student outcomes, hear about the student experience, and gain insight from charter school founders, leaders, and educators.
When it comes to charter schools, the survey found that three-quarters of respondents, 73 percent, either strongly support (46 percent) or somewhat support (27 percent) the continued development and opening of more public charter schools in New Mexico.
#2: Charter Schools Through Our Eyes: A Testimony of Transformation and Opportunity
This article was written by students at Cottonwood Classical Preparatory School who wanted to share their experiences in New Mexico’s charter schools.
#3: Shaping Success in the South Valley
Albuquerque Collegiate, a high-performing charter school located in the South Valley of Albuquerque, is making significant strides in elementary-level education, as displayed by the Public Education Department’s rating which puts the school in the “excellence” category.
#4: Rising Leader Darren Paredes Shines on the National Stage
In the heart of New Mexico, a rising star is making waves in the world of education advocacy. Darren Paredes, a junior at ASK Academy in Rio Rancho, has been selected as one of 10 students in the 2023-2024 class of Rising Leaders, a one-year program designed to train exceptional young advocates in civic participation, education advocacy, leadership, and public speaking.
#5: MAS charter school founder has lived her students’ experience
Mission Achievement & Success (MAS) Charter School is a high-performing school that stands out for having all of its students graduate high school, with 100 percent being admitted to college or the military. Its literacy and math achievement rates are far higher than Albuquerque Public Schools, the state of New Mexico as a whole, and even the suburban Rio Rancho school district. The Founder of MAS, JoAnn Mitchell, sits down for an interview with NM Education in this article to share her personal story and how she built MAS into the highly successful school it is today.
#6: Gordon Bernell Charter School Recognized as Yass Prize Quarterfinalist
Gordon Bernell Charter School earned recognition as a quarterfinalist for the Yass Prize in 2023, an award given to the school for its commitment to serving non-traditional students.
#7: A loading dock playground? Charter students deserve better facilities
This article was written by Kelsey McCaffrey, an Intervention Teacher and Coach (now Principal-in-Residence) at Albuquerque Collegiate Charter School.
#8: Altura Preparatory charter’s innovation: teacher-specialists
Altura Preparatory Charter school, a K-5 Title I school in Albuquerque, was one of three schools honored by Teach Plus New Mexico in 2022 for its innovative practices.
#9: Turquoise Trail Students Work with the Legislature to Build Their Own Playground
This article, which first appeared in Tumbleweeds Magazine, was written by Christopher Eide Azevedo, (former) head administrator at Turquoise Trail Charter School.
#10: Cottonwood Classical junior lands prestigious honor
Daniyal Hussain, a Cottonwood Classical Preparatory School rising 11th-grader, won a spot in a prestigious training program for young policy leaders interested in focusing on improving their school communities.
We hope these articles inspire you and help you learn more about charter schools in New Mexico! If you are interested in finding a charter school near you, please visit https://publiccharterschoolsofnewmexico.org/find-a-school/.