Board to vote on closure of Rensselaer charter school
RENSSELAER, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Nurses Middle College Capital Region may be closing after the 2024-2025 academic year due to low enrollment. The public nursing charter high school's board of directors will meet and vote on the school's fate on March 24.
Over the past several months, the school has been monitoring student enrollment closely. Currently, there are only 70 students enrolled in 9th and 10th grade, which is much smaller than the school budgeted for.
School officials said they rely on enrollment to receive state funding, which has made it more difficult to meet goals as high school enrollment dwindles across the region. Nurses Middle College Capital Region Board Chair Susan Birkhead said it's a heartbreaking decision to make after being deeply invested in the community.
"Without the necessary student enrollment numbers, we do not see a path to sustain operations without compromising the integrity of our mission and the quality of education our students deserve," Birkhead said.
If the board votes in favor of the closure, school officials will help families and staff through the transition by finding alternative education options. Executive Director Pamela McCue said they will ensure students have what they need to succeed through the remainder of the year.
"Our mission has always been to prepare students for success in healthcare professions, and we will remain focused on that mission until the very last day," McCue said. "While this is a difficult moment, we remain confident that our community will come together during time and continue to prioritize the well-being of our students.”
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