Alamogordo NM
8-15-2024 11:50pm

Sacramento School of Engineering and Science Charter School Approved Application Approved by NM PED

Congratulations are in order to Cynthia Stong as the organizational founder of Sacramento School of Engineering and Science. Ms Stong began the initiative of leadng this closely knit board through the pre application process, significant press scrutiny, a negative peer review, past a no recommendation from the state in a review process from peers, and the state; to a final, in person plea before the New Mexico Public Education Commission (PEC), which ruled and voted to award a charter in a dramatic split vote decision. 

The PEC—authorizer of all state charter schools in New Mexico—approved the application for the new and proposed named Sacramento School of Engineering and Science on a 5-3 vote at its August 15 meeting. The vote looked as if it was going to be a tied 4 for and 4 against but one board member responded that he was voting a "reluctant yes," thus awarding a charter with conditions. 

The school will be free to attend and will be a publicly funded school using Otero County and State taxpayer money and grants. The charter school will have an open lottery system for enrollment, meaning it will be open to any student applicant to attend is winning a lottery for admission to this limited seat program. There is not yet a specified location nor address for the school and the building originally scoped for the project is now leased to FEMA. 

Thw goal of the Sacramento School of Engineering and Science per proponents is to offer an educational option that will benefit the community and Holloman Air Force Base by graduating skilled students who are workforce ready.

"The goal is to start the school in August of 2025," she said Ms Stong.

The application process was intense with LULAC Counsil 8105 leading opposition with concerns about equity and inclusion from the beginning of the process.

The charter school will offer classes for freshmen through seniors, prioritizing science and engineering classes, according to the notice of intent (NOI) filed.

Per the application the engineering and science classes will offer support concentrations in the fields of robotics, computer science/engineering, computer software and hardware engineering, aeronautical and aerospace engineering, industrial engineering and biomedical engineering.

The school estimated it could enroll 156 students by year 5 of operations with a multiple year ramp up period per the budget outlined.

The application’s approval means that the Sacramento School of Engineering and Science  will enter its “implementation year,” in which the school’s team must complete required steps set by the PEC before the school can open its doors in the following school year (in the Sacramento School of Engineering and Science case, the 2025-26 school year).

During the implementation year, a newly-approved charter school must file at least three status updates with the PEC and the Public Education Department to demonstrate the school is progressing toward meeting their requirements, and the PEC hosts monthly training sessions with the school teams.

However, the PEC echoed concerns with the application and approval and will be monitoring community outreach and compliance efforts closely. 

Eight commissioners were present for the meeting and approved the project 5 to 3 with, Commissioners Melissa Armijo and Sharon Clahchischilliage not present for the meeting.

AlamogordoTownNews.org received a response from charter advocate Susan Payne who spoke to Anthony Lucero via our streaming Alamogordo Town News KALHRadio.org news radio edition praising the project as "good for the community."

Her comments can be heard in our Friday newscast streaming and via our YouTube podcast via the link below...

Mayor Susan Payne speaks on the Sacramento School of Engineering and Science in Alamogordo
https://youtu.be/Dh40Btlny78

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