RIO RANCHO, N.M. – We’re rounding out 2024 and Rio Rancho Public School district is looking forward to next fall. That’s when the new career and technical education high school will open to students. 

“It really is going to be a state-of-the-art facility, 70,000 square feet. There are five industry standard labs, really cutting-edge technology, and 18 multi-use classrooms that are going to just transform the Rio Rancho Public Schools community,” said Kristopher Johnson, the Rio Tech Principal. 

The school district’s new high school, Rio Tech, will allow students to get their diplomas while taking CNM classes in different trade skills. 

“It does mean some sacrifices of leaving the comprehensive traditional high schools, Cleveland Rio Rancho, to come here and have a unique schedule and kind of get that balance of free college, and we pay for everything. But that means I won’t have those big pep rallies and things like that,” said Johnson. 

Rio Tech will have 18 hybrid classrooms and five labs for electrical wiring, carpentry, HVAC, plumbing, and welding. 

“The welding lab is probably the largest lab. We will have over 20 welding booths over here, a CNC machine, cutting, welding tables,” he said. 

Johnson and his team are scheduling visits at Rio Rancho and Cleveland High Schools to talk to students interested in transferring to the new High School. He said non RRPS students who live in Sandoval County can also apply. 

Students who are interested have until February 28, 2025, to apply and then be entered into a lottery and selected in March. 

“From March to May we will interview students to say, ‘Hey show us why you want to be here.’ There will be a few questions for parents we get them involved as well like, ‘How are you going to support your student who is doing four high school classes and two or three college classes at the same time?’” said Johnson.