Full-day pre-K won’t happen in 2025-26 school year

He’s been gone from the Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education for a few years, but state Sen. Craig Brandt, the Senate Republican whip, still has education on his agenda in Santa Fe, and it has paid off again, especially for students, parents and staff members of Puesta del Sol Elementary.

The Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education at its April 8 meeting voted to put a plan in motion to prepare for what it anticipated to be full-day sessions in the 2025-26 school year for pre-K students in light of what had been only half-day sessions, also meaning Shining Stars Preschool would be filled beyond capacity and another site would be needed.

It looked like the district was moving toward supplementing pre-K education, namely for 3- and 4-year-olds, at Puesta del Sol Elementary, thus giving the district a northern and a southern campus for pre-K.

Out of the blue came Brandt, who’d been informed of a move to full-day pre-K by his wife the morning of April 10.

Now, it appears all that consternation went for naught.

“(On April 10), it was brought to my attention that the (Early Childhood Education and Care Department) was mandating that all pre-K schools be full day. Rio Rancho, and specifically Shining Stars, has without a doubt the most effective, quality and life-changing pre-K program in the state and probably the country,” Brandt wrote in an email to the Observer. “Many of my constituents were concerned and have been reaching out to Mayor (Gregg) Hull and I.”

Brandt went to work:

“I immediately reached out to my staff and to (the Legislative Education Study Committee, of which Brandt is a member) to look into the issue. We also reached out to the secretary of ECECD. … I asked for the secretary to send me everything in writing — I want things in writing, not verbal.

“After searching everywhere, we could find nothing in (the) rule, and what we did find in law said the opposite,” he noted.

After speaking to ECECD Secretary (Elizabeth) Groginsky, Brandt reported, “The result of that conversation and the great work of LESC and my staff is that ECECD will be changing the application to accept both half-day and full-day. Additionally, Rio Rancho will be able to continue its existing half-day program.”

"We are currently encouraged by the progress, as it seems the ECECD is set to modify its application process to include half-day and full-day options. This adjustment will provide our district with greater flexibility and additional time to consider and develop a plan that is best for the RRPS community," Superintendent Sue Cleveland said, after hearing the news. "Senator Brandt, who is a staunch supporter of our school district and a former board member, has been instrumental in this effort. We are grateful for his ongoing support.

Brandt said he will meet with Cleveland the morning of April 15.

Full-day pre-K may someday be the rule in New Mexico, Brandt said.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if there’s a push for it,” he said. “Shining Stars is considered one of the best pre-school models in the state and country. This will give the district some time (to plan).”

Here’s the rule Brandt referred to: 32A-23-6. Requests for proposals; contracts for services. A.) The department shall solicit the delivery of both half-day and full-day early pre-kindergarten and pre-kindergarten program services by publishing a request for proposals or a request for applications that contains the same requested information for pre-kindergarten services.