Last Wednesday night, the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education voted to allow a charter school with a track record of success to serve more students – and earlier in their school years. East Mountain High School’s request to serve middle school students in addition to their high-quality high school model was approved on a 5-2 vote.
East Mountain High School has nearly 25 years of impressive performance. The school’s proficiency rates – which consistently surpass state averages, especially for low-income students, whose math and reading proficiency is regularly two to four times higher than elsewhere in the state – have earned it state recognition year after year. It has also attracted federal attention and was honored as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2018. Each year, students graduate with strong academic skills, as demonstrated by their SAT and ACT scores, and often with impressive portfolios that show colleges they’re ready for what’s next. And, with the highest graduation rate in the APS district at 90%, EMHS is a shining jewel in the crown of the district’s secondary schools.
Apart from academics, the school’s curriculum also emphasizes character, with core values like empathy, integrity, collaboration, curiosity, and reflection – which students learn to recognize and practice in seminar classes.
At the Chamber, we’re grateful the school is doing this work in our East Mountain community, and we’re eager for it to teach even younger students.
GACC board member and Education BIG member Rick Alvidrez spoke in support of the school’s request, highlighting EMHS’ academic excellence and staying power as well as the community-wide demand for more school choice. A recent survey of the Albuquerque metro area showed 73% of residents support New Mexico continuing to develop and open more public charter schools, and 82% of residents believe parents need more free, public school choices.
After nearly an hour of public comment, much of which was in support of EMHS, the board voted to approve the school’s request 5-2. The only dissenting votes were Barbara Petersen and Josefina Domínguez.
With this approval, EMHS plans to open its doors to approximately 100 sixth-graders in the 2026-2027 school year. While we’re excited for these new opportunities for our area’s students, we’ll bet that can’t come soon enough for Albuquerque families.
We’re grateful to the five APS board members whose support makes this possible: President Yolanda Montoya-Cordova, Peggy Muller-Aragón, Danielle Gonzales, Crystal Tapia-Romero, and Courtney Jackson.
And of course, congratulations to the school’s principal Trey Smith and his team of dedicated faculty and staff! His team of educators and support staff are setting hundreds of students up for success in life, and we’re thrilled that even more students will be able to benefit from EMHS’ outstanding instruction and mentorship.
