RRPS gives an update on Rio TECH

Rio Rancho Public Schools is roughly a year away from debuting the new home for its Career Technical Education program.

With the new school year underway, some at RRPS have an eye toward 2025 when Rio TECH, formerly known as the Career Technical Education center, is planned to open and provide students with career exploration, core knowledge and technical experience to advance their employability and post-secondary education options.

Rio TECH, with TECH an acronym for Technical Education Career Hub, sits on a 23-acre piece of land with the buildings on it to serve as the centers for vocational studies and careers. The new high school is specifically for students interested in skilled trade jobs.

The center, a collaborative effort with nearby school districts, will offer a comprehensive range of CTE programs for 10th through 12th-grade students. Those students will finish with a certificate or an associate’s degree by the time they graduate. Rio TECH students will be equipped with the skills necessary for immediate employment or continued education.

Dr. Kristopher Johnson, principal of Rio TECH, and Larry Davis, RRPS CTE director, outlined the ambitious plans for the facility at a Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce luncheon on July 31.

"We are thrilled to offer these invaluable opportunities to our students," Johnson said. "By partnering with industry leaders, we are creating pathways to successful careers for our young people."

The new center will focus on automotive technology, computer information systems, digital media, welding, plumbing, gas fitting, carpentry, HVAC, residential wiring and more.

To bridge the gap until the new building is complete, RRPS has implemented a robust program that includes mentorship, internships and job shadowing opportunities. Students are already gaining hands-on experience through partnerships with local businesses and industries.

“Our goal is to provide students with real-world experience and prepare them for the workforce,” Davis said. “By offering a variety of CTE programs, we are empowering students to make informed decisions about their future.”

The new CTE center will accommodate up to 300 high school students and 300 CNM students and will feature state-of-the-art facilities, including dedicated classrooms and hands-on learning spaces.

“We have very talented students who not only seek greater opportunities, but are also excited about helping us build our community and build our space, and so we look forward to the differences it is going to make in the lives of our students,” RRPS Superintendent Dr. Sue Cleveland said. “Adults will also have access to this program, so it will also be an opportunity for adults who maybe are underemployed or wanting to change their career and go in a different direction. We can't wait to make this a reality.”

RRPS has demonstrated a strong commitment to CTE, with impressive results. Davis said CTE students consistently outperform their peers in graduation rates and college enrollment. The district’s 100% graduation rate for CTE concentrators is a testament to the program’s success.

“Rio Rancho Public Schools is leading the way to ensure that we are igniting student passion in Career and Technical education,” Johnson said. “And we are providing opportunities for students to gain valuable skills through meaningful student experiences with amazing industry and community partnerships.”

The building, a 74,000-square-foot structure that previously housed Victoria’s Secret (1997-2012) and Alliance Data (2012-21) call centers, is in the process of a lengthy and pricey renovation that will house Rio TECH.

The CTE complex became a serious topic for the district about five years ago. In that time, what had been an $8 million project has grown to be a $100 million complex.

That extra amount won’t cost taxpayers.

In the 2019 bond election, the Rio Rancho community voted to support CTE in RRPS with $12 million, partially to alleviate student populations at Cleveland and Rio Rancho high schools.

In 2023, voters in Sandoval County and Bernalillo County decided to approve the CNM General Obligation (GO) Bond on Nov. 7.

The GO bond will provide $80 million for projects at multiple CNM locations in both counties, including funds for the Rio TECH campus.

CNM is moving its entire auto mechanic, diesel mechanic and brand-new electric vehicle mechanic programs to the Rio TECH campus. The automotive trades building, to be built west of it and run by CNM, will eventually get its own name.

The campus will be shared by RRPS students and adult CNM students. CTE trades programs at CNM will be offered to RRPS students as dual credit opportunities, and the facility will also be used to offer CTE programming to CNM students and job seekers in the Rio Rancho and Sandoval County community.

“I'm here to tell you that students are just like us as adults. We make decisions based on previous experiences, and students are the same way,” Davis said. “CTE’s job is to provide those experiences for our students. They can make informed decisions for themselves to stay here in Rio Rancho because the demand is here.”