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Albuquerque charter schools see success; parents see waiting lists
Photo by Michael J. GallegosTribune
Tribune
Trevor Pelton, 17, a student at the Albuquerque Institute for Mathematics and Science at the University of New Mexico, rests his head on his desk for a brief moment during an advanced placement literature course. The school's challenging academics —including paying for students' classes at the university —have helped build a waiting list for students hoping to get in. Charter schools across the city are recruiting students and preparing for lottery drawings to determine who gets in.
Photo by Michael J. GallegosTribune
Tribune
Students at the Albuquerque Institute for Mathematics and Science at the University of New Mexico toss a football during their lunch break. Recruiting for the school is mostly by word of mouth, says Principal Kathy Sandoval-Snider, but its UNM connection has drawn interest from faculty and staff at the university. "Every day is bring your kid to work day," Sandoval-Snider said.
Photo by Michael J. GallegosTribune
Tribune
Students Heba Aggad, 16, (left) and Reba Kassem, 14, say they often spend their free sixth period at the Albuquerque Institute for Mathematics and Science at the University of New Mexico studying outside on the courtyard. "We just like it out here, and the weather's not too bad today," Heba said Thursday. The school boasts a large international population.
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Charter schools across the city want your attention.
Bataan Military Academy this week mailed about 3,000 postcards to eighth-, ninth- and 10-graders, a recruiting tool that helped fill this year's class of 100 cadets — the school's first.
Southwest Learning Centers sent out a news release Wednesday touting its math and science scores for fourth-graders: 96 percent scored proficient or advanced in math, the largest percentage in the state.
Montessori of the Rio Grande Charter School scheduled Feb. 11 as the first day to apply for admission and braced for the crowd: 20 applicants are expected for each available seat in the popular Duranes school.
In the world of charter schools, the recruiting season brings with it anxieties about the lottery used to pick the lucky few at schools like Montessori of the Rio Grande.
Families are scrambling to pick their schools and meet the deadlines to get their names in the pool.
The lottery is the only way to get into any of Albuquerque's 36 charter schools. State law requires charter schools to select their students through a lottery.
Ron Romero, charter schools coordinator for Albuquerque Public Schools, said he's getting a lot of calls lately from parents in the process of selecting a school.
"More people are looking for schools who fit their children," Romero said. "I think the public is getting more savvy about schools and what they have to offer."
Among those who have contacted him are parents wanting schools with a college focus, technology, gifted services or career preparation for the movie industry.
The latest count, on Jan. 22, showed 6,507 students enrolled in Albuquerque charter schools.
"Charter schools are here to stay," Romero said.
For parents and students, the lottery can be nerve-racking since the odds are they won't get their first choice if it's a popular place, such as the Montessori school at 1650 Gabaldon Drive N.W.
"We've never recruited," said Principal Bonnie Dodge. "Our program speaks for itself. It's really word of mouth."
Dodge's school of 156 students typically has 20 spots open in its kindergarten class.
"We'll have 20 applications for each opening," she said.
All of the applications are numbered and those numbers go into the lottery. On March 18, the lucky numbers will be drawn.
At other schools where the demand for seats is not as high, the lottery is simply a formality because every name is drawn and everybody gets in. That often happens at brand-new charter schools. But once they've established a reputation, competition for seats can be tough.
For instance, Southwest Learning Centers have 450 students in three schools with a waiting list of 1,600.
"We don't do a lot of recruiting, per se," said founder and Principal Scott Glasrud. However, he likes to get his schools' names out to the public occasionally. The announcement of his fourth-graders' success on the math and science tests was an opportunity to do that, he said.
The Public Education Department sent Glasrud a congratulatory letter dated Jan. 22 and he sent out a news release the next day.
On Feb. 5, during Math and Science Day at the Legislature in Santa Fe, Glasrud and his school will be recognized in a Rotunda ceremony.
Glasrud's waiting list is sure to grow with families looking for strong academic performance in math and science.
The Albuquerque Institute for Mathematics and Science at the University of New Mexico has seen its waiting list grow after word got out that the school pays for UNM tuition.
All students can enroll in UNM classes and AIMS picks up the tab, said Principal Kathy Sandoval-Snider.
Besides its strong math and science focus, the school has an international feel with students from Egypt, China, Taiwan, Iran, Israel, South America and Mexico.
Recruiting for AIMS is "mostly word of mouth," the principal said. But the UNM partnership is attracting UNM faculty and staff.
"Every day is bring your kid to work day," she said.
AIMS students Brittney Griffin and John Baca said their grandmothers played a role in sending them to AIMS, the only charter in a partnership with UNM.
"My grandmother works at Sandia Labs and heard about it there," Griffin said. "She thought it would be good for me."
The lower pupil-teacher ratio — classes range from 15 to 20 students — has been a plus because "teachers help you when you need it," she said.
Classmate Baca, who wants to design cars, said he likes the fact he can take UNM and Central New Mexico Community College classes and get college credit and high school credit at the same time.
"In the long run, it's going to be better than public schools," he said.
