Rio Rancho schools approve Independence High overhaul plan to boost graduation rates

Rio Rancho Public Schools is preparing to change the school day at Independence High School, adding more instruction time for students who work full time or parent children and building in monthly Saturday school as the district tries to pull the campus out of state intervention and push graduation rates above 66.67%.

The Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education unanimously approved the restructuring plan at its Monday meeting, but the proposal still needs sign-off from the New Mexico Public Education Department. The plan follows three straight years in which Independence missed the state graduation threshold, with four-year rates of 50.2% in 2023, 58.5% in 2024 and 63.7% in 2025.

Jessica Sanchez, the Independence principal, told the board the school was moving in the right direction and that the goal was not to throw out what already works. The 2026-27 plan centers on three pillars, extended learning opportunities for students, reactive instructional intervention and more professional development for teachers. Dr. Robby Dodd said the campus might not even be in intervention status if the state counted its five-year graduation rates instead.

For families, the most visible changes would come in time and staffing. Students who need the most flexibility could get an extra hour of instruction each day, while monthly Saturday school would add nearly two more weeks of learning over the year. Students who are already performing well could use the added time to take additional classes, and the district has also described later start times and more teacher support as part of the overhaul. The exact staffing and scheduling details are still being worked through, which means the board approved the direction of the plan before every piece was finalized.

The stakes are high at Independence, an alternative high school on the north side of Rio Rancho in a former call center on Quantum Road NE. A September 2024 state monitoring visit found 176 students on campus, with 69% Hispanic/Latino, 14% Caucasian, 8% American Indian and 9% other. The same report said 31 students received special education services and 20 were English learners.

State reviewers said the school had identified poor attendance, student buy-in and major learning gaps from the previous 10 to 12 years of school as the main drivers of low graduation rates. They also noted some improvement, including a 10% increase in attendance after the school adopted a student support system with clear expectations and accountability, and a five-year graduation rate that rose from 66% to 73% from 2022-23 to 2023-24.

The restructuring is unfolding alongside a major capital project. Rio Rancho Public Schools broke ground on a new Independence High School building on May 29, 2025, and the campus is planned for Northern Boulevard, with opening expected in 2027. Under New Mexico Public Education Department guidance issued Jan. 9, schools in More Rigorous Interventions must submit a plan that significantly restructures and redesigns the campus, and the department can choose the intervention itself if a district does not secure approval.