Independence HS prepares for restructuring process

RIO RANCHO — Independence High School is preparing for restructuring next school year due to low graduation rates over the last several years in Rio Rancho.

School officials are discussing “next steps” as the New Mexico Public Education Department initiates releasing “Significant Restructure and Redesign, Restart and Closure” applications this month, according to IHS Principal Jessica Sanchez, who spoke to the RRPS Board of Education during a meeting on Monday. According to federal law, restructuring involves making changes to school’s operations - from leadership to instruction - to address low performance.

“I will tell you, before we even get that (application), we are meeting constantly in a proactive approach for the restructuring and coming up with some ideas. I want to get ahead of it,” Sanchez told the board and RRPS Superintendent Dr. Sue Cleveland.

Sanchez added that she will pick up a copy of the application when she attends a statewide spring school budget meeting on March 18.

“I’ll have a better idea of what we need to do and work from there,” Sanchez said.

Her comments marks the latest chapter in the school’s efforts to come off of NMPED’s “more rigorous interventions” (MRI) status for failing to post a 66.67% graduation rate over the previous three years, despite assistance from the agency.  The school’s efforts loom large as Sanchez and prepare to send off the class of 2026 and hope to open a new building the following year.

The school posted a 50% four-year graduation rate in 2023, a 59% four-year graduation rate in 2024 and a 64% four-year graduation rate in 2025, according to figures officials presented to the board. However, IHS’s five-year graduation rates seem to tell a different story, with a 67% rate in 2023 and 83% in 2024.

Renee Saucedo, secondary schools improvement officer for RRPS, noted during the meeting that if PED evaluated Independence based on its five-year graduation rates, it would be a “spotlight” school, meaning a top performer.

Sanchez noted that although she disagrees with the PED formula for school evaluation, it “is what it is and we have to work within those perameters.”

Since IHS was placed on MRI, school officials have tried to improve graduation rates by increasing mental health services, offering Saturday school and expanding course electives - things the board’s new members recently saw during a tour of IHS. 

“It brought tears to my eyes because we worked so hard,” Sanchez said, referring to seeing the latest graduation rates. “Until we get the data, we don’t know if what we’re doing is making a difference and this is proof that it’s working.”

She added, “I do believe we’re going to get there,” referring to the graduation threshold. “We just need more time.”

Saucedo applauded Sanchez  for the time she has spent with state officials on their multi-hour site visits to the school. She also confirmed it is considering restructuring over restarting or closing.

“PED even told Jessica, ‘What you’re doing is working; restructure is where you should be, so we’re just looking at what kind of tweaks we can to make just a little more of a difference,” Saucedo said. 

PED spokesperson Janelle Garcia wrote in an email following the meeting that MRI schools must choose to either restructure and redesign restart or close. RRPS and Independence must decide which intervention to propose before submitting an application, which is not due until October.

“NMPED may provide feedback or request revisions before approving a final plan,” Garcia wrote.

Sanchez wrote in an email following the meeting she was not able to elaborate much further on Independence’s situation beyond what was stated at the meeting.

“Until we are able to review the application and work through the process, I will not have additional information regarding our status,” she wrote. 

Sanchez added, “We are continuing to make progress and intend to build on the success we have been experiencing. The NMPED is very supportive and we will continue to collaborate with them as we work towards our goals.”

The progress of the new school build will not be impacted due to Independence’s monitoring status, she wrote.