New Mexico International School in Albuquerque

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	9/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2024 Measures of Student Success and Achievement data from New Mexico Public Education Department, and using 2024 Assessment of Science Readiness data from New Mexico Public Education Department.
Student Growth	4/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2023 Student growth data from New Mexico Public Education Department.

Posted: May 21, 2025

My family has attended this school for 8 years, and sadly, it has declined significantly in all aspects. The lack of care and empathy for families from the administration is disheartening. This school is lucky that my kids enjoy their friends so much because they are the only reason we stay. The administration is more concerned about staff and looking good on paper than they are about the families and students who attend. They used to have a great no-bullying policy, but that has not been the case for several years. The children used to be able to enjoy art and music, and now they have to choose just one. Both the music and art programs are amazing, though, I will say that. The middle school Arabic class has done nothing for my children. I have heard several complaints from the children about the kids experiencing favoritism by some of the middle school teachers, which has been very disappointing and sad for the other children. And lastly, they have increased prices on extracurricular activities that some parents have resorted to making their children pay for the activities they want to attend, or they have had to limit the activities they can attend, my family included. This is definitely NOT the school it used to be.

Posted: May 21, 2025

Posted: April 7, 2024

My daughter and I love this school. Even though my child doesn't speak Spanish, she is picking it up very quickly. Our teacher, Maestra Otiz, is amazing and I can tell she loves her job. Their class starts with how kids' emotions that day and that is something I truly appreciate. Also, as a bilingual myself, having multiple languages are a great way of problem solving as each language has different perspectives and grammar structure. The parents/guardians here are very involved as well and the teachers are very friendly. We love the they teach violin as their music class. Highly recommend for international minded families.

Posted: April 7, 2024

Posted: October 31, 2023

This is a great school IF you have the right teacher. We had a couple of wonderful teachers, but it seemed like the other teachers were hired solely because they spoke Spanish. My child was left in a rambunctious class in which she was being bullied and not learning. The principal told us that it was a school of choice so we can leave instead of properly addressing our concerns.

Posted: October 31, 2023

Posted: August 8, 2023

The families going to this school are very nice but the administrators are not if I want to talk to them about any issues. I feel like I was being ignored no emails at all.. I called them snobby school

Posted: August 8, 2023

Posted: September 1, 2021

I was surprised by some of the negative comments about this school. I have had two kids go through the program and we have been very happy with the school. I have felt that there is a nice community at the school. Also, both of my parents worked in the public school system and I have not found the teacher turn over rate to be out of the ordinary (except that they occasionally hire teachers from Spain that participate in an exchange program). There are several excellent teachers that have been there for years. In general, we have been very satisified.

Posted: January 22, 2021

This is a terrible school. Communication from the administration is non-existent. The director Todd never gets back to you if you raise a concern or have a question, and there is no way to directly contact him or anyone with authority to actually help. They do not care about students or parents. They only care about getting funding for them and then ignoring you if you try to talk to them about them. Schools should not be allowed to operate like this.

Posted: January 22, 2021

Posted: August 21, 2020

Overall we had good experiences to begin with but due to budget cuts and financial mismanagement the school has changed direction in the last few year. Teacher turnover seems high as well, many of the great established teachers have gone. I'd only recommend it as a last resort.

Posted: August 21, 2020

School has a no homework policy which has not caused any problems for our children. It has allowed our kids to participate in an external sports in the evenings. Physical Education is a bit lacking at NMIS so be prepared to get your kids some other kind of energy release.

Posted: August 21, 2020

Some teachers are effective and some aren't so much. There are a lot of new teachers that are just trying to figure out what the IB curriculum is all about. Teachers are also struggling because new influx of kids with little to no IB or Spanish knowledge are keeping teachers busy teaching just the basics. Established kids are suffering through many repeated lessons.

Posted: August 21, 2020

Like others have stated, It feels like the administration is more interested in growing the size of the school than focusing on quality. Lot's of good programs on paper but most of this is just marketing hype. Music program used to be great but has gone downhill. Lot's of other programs have been cancelled over the years as well. (Akido, LaCrosse, etc.) Even the spanish program which was a big selling point has become ineffective.

Posted: August 21, 2020

If your child is at the strong end of the spectrum don't expect much from staff to bring them extra challenges. Teachers are struggling to bring new students up to speed which slows down the existing students. Due to this frustration, there is a higher attrition rate of older kids. Which in turn forces the school to bring in more new kids. Catch 22 situation.

Posted: August 21, 2020

I haven't heard of any bullying by kids. It may exist, but it certainly isn't widespread.

Posted: March 3, 2020

Like other parents have said, started out great but went downhill fast. Looking at other alternatives now.

Posted: March 3, 2020

This school has a no homework policy which is appropriate for the K-5 grade level. In my opinion kids in this age range need a break after learning during the day. Really liked this aspect about the school!

Posted: March 3, 2020

Most teachers are new and are having a hard time getting up to speed on the IB program. The established teachers that encourage the kids and display positivity don't last more than a year or two. They seem to be driven out by the administrators of the school.

Posted: March 3, 2020

Not to keep on the same thread but Administration is less interested in building character than punishing kids for breaking rules. In one example. Some kids were too loud at lunch so the Principal decided to punish all three grade levels that were present by cancelling their outdoor recess and making them all sit silently at their desks in their classrooms. More than 80 kids with no physical outlet for their energy. Not sure what rule book this came from but it was very frustrating to those kids that were eating silently as instructed by the administration.

Posted: March 3, 2020

There is a 10 minute pick up period after school dismisses and a parking lot that can't get everyone in and out during this time frame. To make matters worse, Administration actively locks the doors pulling them shut on parents at 10 minutes after dismissal and forces you to pick your kid up from an After-care program after that.

Posted: March 3, 2020

No personal experience here but I've heard others have struggled.

Posted: March 3, 2020

I've never heard of any bullying happening by students at this school. Your kids should be safe in this regard.

Posted: March 3, 2020

There is no student to student bullying but there is bullying by administration towards teachers and parents. The administration seems to only be interested in groing the size of the school without focusing on quality. There has been a very large teacher turnover at this school which has been very frustrating and has lowered the quality of education at this institution.

Posted: March 3, 2020

Posted: February 22, 2020

Do not send your child here if they have an IEP the special Ed teachers never stay more than a year and the teachers dont follow IEPs

Posted: February 22, 2020

We will be leaving, cant take it any longer we thought it was a good program. Over the years this school gets worse and worse ratings. Run!

Posted: February 22, 2020

Teachers always quit they dont get the support they need and the workload is
Too much

Posted: February 22, 2020

Leaders are passive aggressive show favorites and wont listen bad examples for kids

Posted: February 22, 2020

The reason why the teachers leave, this is why this school
Is terrible

Posted: February 17, 2020

We like the extra class they have here like violin and aikido, my girl love all her friends in here and her teachers. We love it so far.

Posted: February 14, 2020

Both our daughters have thrived at this school.

Posted: February 14, 2020

The school's homework policy is backed in research - minimal homework for lower grades and modest increases through upper grades.

Posted: February 14, 2020

We've had two children through the school. Not all teachers are perfect, but this school does a great job finding quality educators.

Posted: February 14, 2020

The IB program does a great job making my child be the kind of child I am proud of.

Posted: February 14, 2020

The leader is passionate about the school. He makes decisions that benefit the students overall, even when difficult.

Posted: February 14, 2020

The classrooms seem very inclusive. The IB program promotes learning in different styles.

Posted: February 14, 2020

We've had no experience with bullying at this school.

Posted: February 9, 2020

Horrible. The administration is openly bad towards kids with learning differences.

Posted: February 9, 2020

Posted: January 21, 2020

We have been very pleased with the school and with how much our child has learned. The language, art, and music programs are outstanding, math and science are integrated and supported with fun activities. The IB curriculum allows for kids to develop character and promotes thoughtful conversation within our family. Parents are kind and motivated to help each other, the community is better than I expected. All schools have fundraisers so I don't understand the complaint about fundraising. The school actually makes an effort to NOT have the kids sell items which I appreciate. Neither financial donations nor volunteering are required but once you are involved with the school you will want to help. It is a group effort that is lead by fellow parents. I also never got the sense that other parents are "entitled." We feel so fortunate to be part of the NMIS community and would highly recommend it.

Posted: January 21, 2020

the teachers are lovely and always willing to assist with each individual child's growth

Posted: January 21, 2020

I don't have any personal experience with this

Posted: January 21, 2020

Posted: May 30, 2019

I have been very pleased with the school and with how much my child has learned. The language, art, and music programs are amazing, and they do a good job with math and science too. The IB curriculum has been fantastic.

I don't really understand the complaints in other reviews here about fundraising. All schools have fundraisers. It's not like financial donations are required. I also never got the sense that other parents are "entitled." There were some issues with vendors this year (uniform supplier, etc.) and some parents complained that their orders were missing and things like that. But that has nothing to do with the school itself. I found the school community to be very pleasant overall. And in any case, we chose this school for the academics, and we are very happy with our choice.

Posted: May 30, 2019

Their no homework policy is based on research. Elementary school kids don't need homework...they need time with their families. This policy is a huge plus.

Posted: May 30, 2019

I think this is inherent in the IB curriculum, which I've been very impressed with.

Posted: May 30, 2019

I think the administrative staff was too small at the beginning if the year. Fortunately, they have added more staff and I think that has helped.

Posted: May 30, 2019

I don't have personal experience with this, so I can't say.

Posted: May 30, 2019

They take conflicts between students very seriously and seem to do a good job. I am not aware of any bullying.

Posted: March 23, 2019

This is a public school for the rich. Sometimes they run 3 fundraisers at the same time so get out your Pocketbook. There is about 200 kids at this school and they put tons of pressure bc they wanted to raise $60,000. At the same time running 2-3 other fundraisers. Parents are bullies and the administration is bad. We wont return I cant afford it and dont want that example for my children. Its too bad because I wanted my child to learn Spanish. We will look elsewhere.

Posted: March 23, 2019

No homework so no idea how my child is doing

Posted: March 23, 2019

Good teachers but they always quit. No one stays more then a couple years they even quit mid year because they cant take it. They need new administration that knows how to treat their staff.

Posted: March 23, 2019

This is the biggest problem. Bad director, mean office manager. People leave all the time bc if how things are run and how parents are treated.

Posted: March 23, 2019

They cant keep special ed teachers and you need to make sure you know the laws and get lawyers if needed to get your child the right help. They will take advantage of parents who are unaware.

Posted: March 23, 2019

The parents are the bullies at this school. And it is encouraged by the administration.

Posted: March 6, 2019

They would rather pretend there is no issue rather then do whats best for the child.

Posted: March 6, 2019

They seem afraid to go against the principal even

Posted: March 6, 2019

Wouldnt recommend. Most parents are entitled and are promoting this for the students.

Posted: February 27, 2019

Principal jumps to conclusion and anger before investigating. He is clueless about special needs but he thinks he is an expert

Posted: February 27, 2019

Parents are pressured to get their kids to conform because there is no extra staff to give children with learning disabilities the time they may need to thrive

Posted: February 27, 2019

The principal is not even a good example when he raises his voice to kids and accuses them without even offering to hear their side first.

Posted: February 27, 2019

They say no homework but there is constant homework

Posted: February 27, 2019

They don't have aides for students or teachers only ones that float. This school's special education is seriously lacking

Posted: February 27, 2019

The parents are uppity. The teachers are wondeful.

Posted: February 27, 2019

Not pleasant. This school stresses me out as a parent.

Posted: January 31, 2019

The kids are fine. The parents are really bad. One parent thinks she knows
Everything, they trash the shirt vender the photographer, there is road rage
In the parking lots and people fight in the overcrowded hallways.

Posted: January 10, 2019

100% I love the school. I am so happy that my son attends.

Posted: January 10, 2019

Homework is given on a project by project basis, or, when the child needs specific help in that area. It is not used, as busywork. Therefore, I as my son's parent, have more time to hang out with him after school! Reading to him. Playing with him. Enriching him through activities that are not worksheets.

Posted: January 10, 2019

They are above average teachers. Spanish is an Integral part of their lives. They love children!

Posted: January 10, 2019

is an enthusiastic and effective leader. This is his school. It is his strategic vision that makes it as good as it is.

Posted: January 10, 2019

Mr. Knouse is an enthusiastic and effective leader. This is his school. It is his strategic vision that makes it as good as it is.

Posted: January 10, 2019

The IB program is very enriching. It highlights compassion, kindness, loving, education, inquiry-based learning

Posted: January 10, 2019

There is a difference between being bullied And being annoyed. When a child is truly being bullied The school takes it very seriously. When a child is being annoyed, repetitively, by another student, the school takes it seriously as well. But, the principle seems to have a reasonable understanding of the difference between being bullied, and being annoyed.

Posted: January 9, 2019

Very happy at NMIS. Two kids there and one more on the way. Hard to imagine our children thriving in their neighborhood school like they are here.

Posted: November 4, 2018

It started of OK this is our 3rd year here, but has gotten worse and the parent bullies are out of control. The administration is right in there with them. The office staff is mean and many venders in the community will no longer with this school as a result. We will finish out the year but are looking at other options for the following year. The idea of this school is a good one but the management ruins a good program.

Posted: November 4, 2018

Effective teachers but they have too much work to do and the good ones never stay very long. Extremely high turn over.

Posted: November 4, 2018

My child has learn that the rules only apply to some but not others.

Posted: November 4, 2018

The administration is the biggest problem at this school. Very inconsistent and rules change depending on which parent you are. A lot of the teachers have their own children at the school, so those kids get special treatment.

Posted: November 4, 2018

If you have a child that needs services do not bring them here. or be prepared to bring an advocate to your meetings. That does seem to be an effective way to get your childs needs met. The school will do what they are suppose to when they are in fear of someone reporting them.

Posted: November 4, 2018

There does not seem to be a lot of problems with the kids. Its the parents. They use the school facebook page to bully each other and the director even gets involved in it. They trash the vendors on there, fights about what color socks and leggings the kids can wear, and there is one parent who thinks she is the boss of everything and the director allows her to bully everyone. Its a huge problem but does provide hours of entertainment because it gets so crazy. The parents are very entitled.

Posted: September 30, 2018

With the teachers this is very true, they also carry it to their students. The financial gal and principal are not true to this.

Posted: September 30, 2018

Administration is horrible, mainly the gal in the back. She is rude and unprofessional. The principal allows it and she is allowed to be rude to staff and parents. Not sure why she is allowed this type of freedom with her behavior but it is disgusting. I hope the principal gets a grip and lets her go. She has raised too many red flags in the two years we went there.

Posted: September 30, 2018

We left this school recently due to the issues we saw with the gal in the back, and the principal. They also have a committee that is suppose to bring in money for the school but it seems to be nothing but a negative out for parents to bully other parents. This committee has been given too much power and we did not like how they treated the teachers. The teachers are not defended in anyway by the principal and its a open season on these poor teachers and parents. Hopefully, they can overcome these issues but I don't see that going that way unless some staff changes are made.

Posted: September 30, 2018

Wonderful teachers, that work beyond what is asked or expected. The school is losing many good teachers and families due to poor management of the admin staff and also allowing the few parents to have a say in the operations of the school.

Posted: August 20, 2018

How anyone could disagree with this is beyond my comprehension. This school's entire foundation is based upon character. The whole IB curriculum is developing character. So yes. Our child can easily recite the tenants of IB education. They are taught to be (say it with me, parents) thinkers, communicators, principled, reflective, open minded, balanced, risk-takers, inquirers, caring and knowledgeable. This is drilled constantly in these students. It would take one disconnected parent to not recognize how these pillars of education are taught to these children.

Posted: August 20, 2018

The director of the school is hands-on, engaged, active, engaging, passionate and tireless. I'm shocked at some of the reviews here. Have these people experienced other schools? The director is on all the time, and works non-stop. It is absolutely clear to us that his passion is that school and the IB education. His first presentation was our main reason for entering our child in the lottery to get in this school and we feel extremely fortunate to be able to send our child there, period.

Posted: August 20, 2018

I have limited experience with this, but was somewhat disappointed in the lack of resources to address different learning styles. It may be the small size of the school not having the same clout as a bigger elementary school. I would hope for more resources to address different styles of learning, special education, gifted education, etc.

Posted: August 20, 2018

From what I have seen, there is a very stringent code these students live by in their classrooms. There will always be bullies in life, but from little I have seen, it is shut down quickly. This opinion may change as our child gets older.

Posted: August 20, 2018

We have been very satisfied and enthusiastic about this school. We feel truly blessed to have gotten our child in there, and we plan on remaining as active, engaged parents throughout the experience. From day one, the director told us this isn't the kind of school where you drop your child off and forget about it. It requires time, talent, treasure. It requires an emotional, physical commitment to the education of the children. And we have found that the higher our level of commitment, the more connected and satisfied we've become. We plan on keeping our child in this school for the full run.

Posted: August 20, 2018

Studies show that homework is ineffective and a distraction to very important family time. If our child has not done the work in class that day, there will be the homework of finishing. It shows diligence and accountability to finish the job. Otherwise, family time is interrupted by rote homework.

Posted: August 20, 2018

Like all schools, it can vary. However, our overall experience has been excellent. There are active, engaged teachers at NMIS. It's not a school for someone to put in time before retirement. The active parent community and relative small size of the school insures the teachers are held accountable and are there because of love of teaching. This has been our experience thus far. Some are perhaps more patient than others, or more seasoned, but that's going to be the experience at every school a child can attend.

Posted: August 7, 2018

No homework policy, we left the school now at a school that has homework not sure how it will impact my kids.

Posted: August 2, 2018

I think this school has some excellent teachers but unfortunately, our children's teacher was not a good one. We took our kids out of NMIS because we felt that they were not safe there, and because the director cared more about how many more students he can stuff into each classroom than the student's safety.

Posted: August 2, 2018

My children never had homework. According to their teacher they completed their homework in class. I thought my children were doing well in class until six months into the school year when the teacher notified me that they had scored really low in one of their tests.
I went to their classroom and checked their homework and a lot of the worksheets were not completed.

Posted: August 2, 2018

The teacher that one of my children had was either inexperienced or could not handle that many children in her classroom. At the beginning of the school year they started with 18 students but toward the end it became 22.

Posted: August 2, 2018

Unfortunately, the head of school is not a good leader. He is not a good administrator of the school and worse does not supervise his staff. When there is an active investigation of one of the school's staff and you never notify parents of possible dangers within the school, then you don't care about the student's well being or safety.

Posted: August 2, 2018

There is not a special education
teacher at NMIS. There is not even a certified nurse.

Posted: August 2, 2018

Posted: May 21, 2018

Bilingual and passionate teachers, always accessible and flexible

Posted: May 21, 2018

Todd is amazing with boundless energy. Cannot say enough good things about him

Posted: May 21, 2018

Smaller school with less resources for this

Posted: May 21, 2018

Positive and life changing for my kids. They are bilingual and happy kids. Recently our pediatric dentist told us: those kids with those NMIS uniforms are the happiest kids I see!! Sums it up. Great education in a small school setting with great leadership and passionate teachers.

Posted: May 21, 2018

Principal did his PhD thesis on how elementary school children do not benefit from homework until 5th grade. Homework free school but still challenging and kids are learning above grade level, in 2 languages!

Posted: April 16, 2018

NMIS is an excellent school for my kids, and we have been a part of the community for the last 5 years. Our kids are completely bilingual at this point, which is very cool, and have been immersed in a challenging academic program that pushes them to learn (despite the no-homework policy). Cutbacks to the PE programs were unfortunate, and we do miss the fencing and lacrosse; however, the realities of how much those programs cost definitely weren't considered appropriately in the original charter. Very excited to see the expansion to middle school!

The hardest part about the school is the parents. There is a high concentration of ones who just think their child is beyond reproach, so instead they fault staff, administrators, or other children as bullies. And when folks come to this site, they need to be aware that when these parents leave, they have their spouses and other relatives come and blister the school with bad reviews. A bit pathetic, really, but that's the joys of anonymous online reviews.

Is NMIS going to be for everyone? No. If you are considering the school, pay attention at the orientation sessions to understand their policies and the reasons behind them. When you see reviewers who complain about the lack of homework, that's an immediate red flag to take what they write with a healthy degree of skepticism. They simply weren't paying attention and thought the school should match their opinions, not what they were told.

Posted: April 16, 2018

Posted: March 22, 2018

There is a no homework policy which seems ok but not sure how my child will do in middle school.

Posted: March 22, 2018

Teachers work hard but there seems like a high turn over because of the demands on them. Our teacher left because she had to teach in two languages, teach PE, teach intervention and teach the IB program. She was very good but it was to much even for her. So now we have a new teacher.

Posted: March 22, 2018

For Valentines day they told the to bring toys to give out. But said there is a no toy policy so the director told the kids to bring them but hide them in their backpacks. My child is learning how to be sneaky and get around rules. The kids learn very quickly that the rules arent really the rules.

Posted: March 22, 2018

This is the biggest problem at this school. This principal cant handle the 200 students he has now how does he think he can handle 500 elementary school and middle school. They need a new leader.

Posted: March 22, 2018

This is not the school for kids with disabilities. Learning in multiple languages is hard and the school does not have money to help the kids that need help.

Posted: March 22, 2018

Doesn't seem to be a big problem with the kids. The parents are bullies. The principal, teachers and other parents will bully other parents on the school FB page. So no one will really say what they are thinking in fear of being attacked.

Posted: March 22, 2018

The program the school offers is good. The teachers are good but overworked. Now that the school is moving they are asking each parent to pay $225 per student. And then they want you to pay another $200 per student if you don't volunteer. Now every week we are being hit with fundraisers. Next year they are adding 2 more classes to an already crowded school. Not sure they thought this through.

Posted: March 16, 2018

NMIS follows the well-studied research that homework at the elementary level is ineffective. Classwork gets sent home so we always see what our son is doing, the weekly Newsletter always posts what each grade level is working on, AND the teacher uses the app Class Dojo to keep parents informed on what is going on in the classroom.

Posted: March 16, 2018

We've loved all of my son's teachers. They are SO SO hardworking and well-qualified.

Posted: March 16, 2018

The school does its best with this. Honestly, if these principles do not come from the parents first, learning them later can be a challenge. But, yes, the school does reinforce the importance of good character.

Posted: March 16, 2018

The principal is very involved in the goings on of the school, and communication is great. No problems here.

Posted: March 16, 2018

It depends on the learning difference. Mild learning differences can be worked through with the teacher. But if your child has tougher learning issues, you may need to seek outside resources to get your child the help they need.

Posted: March 16, 2018

We haven't had any issues yet. And problems we have heard about from other parents have been dealt with.

Posted: March 16, 2018

REALLY love this school! So glad we decide to send our son here.

Posted: March 6, 2018

Over the years as a parent I have seen many learning disabilities. It seems they have the support from the school to have a successful year.

Posted: March 6, 2018

They dont have a high tolerance for bullying. They try their best to address it and work with the parents but from what I have seen the support from parents to help their child is lacking.

Posted: March 6, 2018

We have truly enjoyed this school. Is it perfect, no. That doesnt exist. This school promotes what the world needs right now, good character and well balanced inner self.

Posted: March 6, 2018

The no homework policy is backed up with a lot of research on how this is the best way to go in elementary.

Posted: March 6, 2018

We have been here from the beginning and all three of my kids had the best experiences when it comes to their teachers. They are passionate in their profession and it displays in their teachings.

Posted: March 6, 2018

This is where the IB units come into play. Every lesson and subject also is a lesson of character.

Posted: March 6, 2018

Our directior is amazing. He is focused on our students and the staff. Success for every student in their own way is his priority.

Posted: March 6, 2018

We have been at this school for almost six years and couldn't be happier. The curriculum is rigorous but compassionate. Our children are growing to be well-rounded, well-educated humans who are aware of global issues and empowered to make change in the world. We love NMIS.

Posted: March 6, 2018

Although the rigorous curriculum can be challenging for children with disabilities, this school truly attempts to address each child's needs as they arise. They provide a number of classroom-level supports designed to help all students, including those with disabilities such as autism and sensory-processing disorders.

Posted: March 6, 2018

Research is clear that homework isn't an effective use of time for kids or teachers in elementary school. This school uses homework very purposefully, not as busy work for kids and parents to stress over at home.

Posted: March 6, 2018

The teachers here get to know your child and treats each child with compassion. They have been able to address our children's needs, both academic and social-emotional.

Posted: March 6, 2018

Through the IB programming, our children are surrounded by expectations and role models for these types of traits. They are rewarded for being caring, thoughtful, risk-takers, and more. Our children are truly learning to be well-rounded humans because of their time at NMIS.

Posted: March 6, 2018

I have a strong background in education and am continually surprised by how responsive the leadership is to parent concerns. They truly involve parents in decision making and work to make changes based on parent feedback. The administration doesn't shy away from setting boundaries for parents, too, letting them know that teachers and staff must be treated with respect. They don't tolerate bullying by children or by parents, which is refreshing.

Posted: February 24, 2018

Allows A couple of parents to dictate his actions maybe because he is overwhelmed. He is passive aggressive parents will volunteer because they are fearful of how their child will be treated if they dont. The school is constantly asking for money.

Posted: February 24, 2018

Not set up for children with disabilities

Posted: February 24, 2018

Depends on how much the parent volunteers. Or who gets picked on. If you are a favorite you get good treatment if you arent they dont care.

Posted: February 24, 2018

We stay because of the languagaes but not sure we will drive across town to the new location.

Posted: February 24, 2018

No homeward and poor communication so you dont know how your child is doing

Posted: February 24, 2018

Teachers are good but there is a high turnover no one stays very long so they dont know the IB program

Posted: February 24, 2018

My child does not trust the director or teaches because they say one thing but do something else.

My child does not trust the director or teachers they say one thing and do another

Posted: February 6, 2018

The Principal is too full of himself to be effective and is focused mainly on convincing the public that children will get a really special prep-school style education here.

Posted: February 6, 2018

This school is not prepared to take on students with learning needs. They show a lot of ignorance when it comes to learning differences and learning disabilities. They are quick to blame the families instead of trying to understand a child's needs. Children are blamed, shamed, punished, and suspended rather than helped. They have pushed many students out instead of following special education law to make sure they serve a students with a learning difference.

Posted: February 6, 2018

There is a high-teacher turn-over. IB doesn't mean much without teaching experience. The IB program at this school is not that exceptional compared to curriculum at the local public school. The art program is the same as what is offered at our local public school. They used to have lacrosse, aikido and fencing and it was a big part of the schools appeal. Now, there are no athletics offered, there is no PE teacher and no playground, so children cant play and exercise like they need to.

Posted: February 6, 2018

So bad that we left, along with many other families.

Posted: February 6, 2018

They do not currently have the resources to support any learning differences.

Posted: February 6, 2018

About the same as any school. They try their best.

Posted: February 6, 2018

There is a "no homework" policy, so I have been unaware of any issues my child might have until Parent/teacher conferences. A little homework might help in understanding and supporting what he is learning.

Posted: February 6, 2018

I am still trying to understand the IB Program. Yes I read the newsletters and emails, still having trouble.

Posted: February 6, 2018

The administrator is dismissive when discussing issues. He has demonstrated a lack of knowledge in child development. If your child is seen as a problem in any way they are seen as "not a good fit" rather than questioning their discipline methods.

Posted: February 6, 2018

There is a "no homework" policy, so I have been unaware of any issues my child might have until Parent/teacher conferences. A little homework might help in understanding and supporting what he is learning.

Posted: February 6, 2018

I am still trying to decide if we will remain. I LOVE the arts and music programs, but I am not sure if this outweighs the administrator.

Posted: January 13, 2018

This school is Amazing! The academics is first case with a focus on the IB attributes. The Violin and Arts program is great, as is Akido. The Teachers and Administration is great!

Posted: January 12, 2018

We love the school, we couldn't be happier!!! My boys have the best teachers and everyone at NMIS is amazing. It is pretty wonderful to hear my children speaking in Spanish or singing songs in Spanish. It is awesome how much they are learning. I love to watch their violin concerts and see the Amazing Artwork they create, so many wonderful programs NMIS offers! My kids also have food allergies and they keep my children safe.

Posted: September 26, 2017

My daughters are thriving at NMIS!! The education they are receiving is phenomenal and we have had a great experience with the leadership and administration. They fully support my daughters, who both have 504 plans. They have PE twice a week, Art twice a week, and Violin twice a week. Also, the amount of recess they get is more than APS and the other schools in the area. The teaching staff is outstanding and the IB primary years curriculum is truly better than any other curriculum I've experienced ( I have been a teacher for ten years). We are thrilled that our daughters are fully immersed in Spanish; they know more Spanish than my husband and I combined after just a year. The education they are receiving at NMIS is better than we could have ever hoped for.

Posted: August 10, 2017

Great Experience, had three kids there. Two are still there and are doings very well!! We have been very pleased with the teachers and staff there. My kids have learned so much and the bonus is there is an exceptional art and music program! I would take my kids here again in a heart beat! The school is small and feels so good as a community. My oldest went to middle school with a good education background and he had a very successful 6th grade year.

Posted: February 12, 2017

The no-homework policy is great, in theory, but as a parent, I was left in the dark on how well my child was performing. In addition, the grading system is fairly meaningless, so when my child was having a problem in some areas, I was not aware of it for months until the teacher conference. A little bit of at-home work wouldn't have been a bad thing.

Posted: February 12, 2017

The director means well, I think, but lacks experience, which has led to problems.

Posted: February 12, 2017

Some teachers were very good, and some were decidedly not.

Posted: February 12, 2017

What once was a very promising school has, sadly, gone way downhill. They gave up all their special PE programs (lacrosse, fencing, aikido) due to budget mishandling ; "PE" now consists of 30 minutes a week of "yoga" or running around outside if the kids are lucky. Recess time is also extremely minimal and there is no playground, just a small parking lot - and what happens when kids don't get enough activity? That's right, behavioral problems increase and academic performance goes way down. While we were attracted by the bilingual aspect of the school, the kids never really reach a high level of Spanish language acquisition because they are not required or even encouraged to speak it. Classroom sizes used to be small, but now there are 35+ kids in some classes. Teacher turnover is very high. The problems are so many that we finally gave up on this school. There are some nice families there and nice kids, and I really hope they can somehow get their act together; but to be truthful, I'm not hopeful.

Posted: February 3, 2017

They do what they can, but at the end of the day, the parents are also responsible for their child success.

Posted: February 3, 2017

NMIS is a great school and It's sad to see all of those negative comments. It looks like when child has learning issues it's better to blame school (bad teachers, bad staff, bad program, BULLYING ALL THE TIME etc.), than spend some time as a parent and help struggling student. School scores are always way above average. Staff is amazing- hardworking and dedicated. Any type of misbehavior comes with consequences. I've been there (as a parent) almost 4 years now, and my child loves it.

My advice: see it on your own :)

Posted: November 14, 2016

My daughter started in kinder, the second year the school was open. At first, I thought it was great. Unfortunately each year I was less and less impressed. Every year they cut programs and staff. Her 4th grade year I pulled her less than a week into the start of the school year.

Contrary to what the website claims, and what we were told at the tour they do NOT adhere to a 20 student cap per class. Without any notice or warning we arrived at the first day of 4th grade to find her class had 36 students - one teacher, one EA. The teacher called in sick on day two and resigned before the thanksgiving break.

I noticed that ALL of the sports listed on this site have been cut. PE is just running around the playground. When we started there were free enrichment programs after school - all of which have been cancelled.

Due to the IB and bilingual requirement for the teachers and students, they have a very hard time finding qualufued teachers and students to fill open spaces. Our 2nd grade teacher had NEVER taught elementary level and NEVER had her own classroom prior to coming to NMIS. She had only been an assistant. The classroom was always out of control and students struggled all year.

The IB requirement for teachers is actually kind of a joke. They don't have to be IB certified to teach. They don't even have to start the process to become certified until after teaching there for a year. I really liked the bilingual immersion at first, but as math and science concepts get harder, learning from a non-native speaker proves to be unrealistic for children who struggle in these areas.

They spent a fortune building a brand new building, but can't afford a second 4th grade teacher for 36 children (which parents were told explicitly by the administration in an email). The lack of funds for the number one most important asset of a school (teaching staff) is what broke the deal for me. By 5th grade the classes get tiny because students leave every year and the spots cannot be filled. The teacher turnover is extremely high ... not a single one of my daughter's teachers K - 4th is still there.

The idea and philosophy behind the school is great in theory, but is a disaster in practice.

Posted: August 25, 2016

With even the best of intentions teacher's hands are tied with the lack of direction from the Director.

Posted: August 25, 2016

They say they do not give homework but they don't teach anything in the daytime either.

Posted: August 25, 2016

I saw it first hand. They are horribly behaved and run the school. The school is so worried about numbers that they put up with ANYTHING!

Posted: August 25, 2016

The discipline in the school is horrible. They are so afraid of losing students for gov. monies that they do not want to upset parents. My child was bullied and nothing was done to resolve the situation. This bully has a history of bad behavior and the teachers and Director know about it. I would say that the lack of respect is pervasive throughout the students there as everyone knew THEY had the power there. There is no classroom control by even the best of the teachers. There's no Director involvement in the classroom and teachers can teach whatever they want, as they have NO APPROVED CIRROCUMULI! The school tried to label my child as dyslexic and said they would test him but only after months and months of their process. As it turns out, my child is NOT dyslexic they just hated this school! After pulling my child, we found out how behind they actually were. I would NOT recommend this school unless it's your last option.

Posted: December 1, 2015

The amount of learning my child has displayed is great. The teachers are good at what they do. The only reason I do not give a five is because the school is young and therefore is experiencing a few growing pains. Overall, though, the school is a great fit for my child.

Posted: October 28, 2015

The community at this school is second to none. The parents who enroll their kids in this school care. There really are not any major issues with families. With that, the school can overcome a lot seeing that it does not have to worry about many of the issues other schools might encounter.
However, it is a newer school and has gone through some growing pains. Needing bilingual teachers narrows the pool of applicants and it has struggled with maintaining a strong teaching staff.
The education is from a different perspective. I am certain my kids are getting an education they would not get at any other school.

Posted: October 21, 2015

As I read some of the comments below I feel very sad. This is not a bad school, it is not poorly run, teachers do not run amok and the administrator is not poor. The teachers work so hard to bring the best learning experience for all the children. It is untrue that the minute there is a problem ADD is suggested. I would argue some of the comments below come from parents that have children with some behavior or academic problems and can't and won't deal with. How dare anyone suggest their little darlings have an issue. It is the teacher's job to support each child and meet there needs. Sometimes that means an assessment to determine if there is a problem.

Bullying is not rampant. The kids are taught to be kind and caring just like any other school. An administrator has to take both sides of any situation into account and cannot just expel a student based on the word on one child or parent.

This is an excellent school, yes there have been some growing pains.

Please take into account the defensiveness of some parents when anyone dares try to get to the bottom of a child's problems and issues.
My child has been at NMIS since the beginning. She has had nothing but caring, hard working educators and an administrator that is kind and caring. No, he doesn't bow down to bully parents with kids that can't control themselves. I would venture to say all of the comments below are from parents with children that have issues. They want to blame someone for their child's problems, it must be the school.

Posted: August 10, 2015

Bad school. Poor administration. Some of the teachers are not even certified to teach. A high teacher turn over rate. It makes you wonder why they are leaving. Bullying is rampant at NMIS and it will not be addressed by the staff or the administration. Several classes are being cut due to lack of funds/bad financial planning. No more Aikido, Lacrosse, Fencing or extra curricular activities. Not a safe school. Rumors of Inappropiate behavior toward students. Do research about this school or any other charter school you plan your child to go to. And also do research about the staff. Remember, charter schools don't have anyone to answer to. They do whatever they please. If you really want your child to learn another language or play an instrument save your money and hire a tutor or call your closest community college/university. Save your self and specially your child heartache.

Posted: May 28, 2015

Class work is being sent home because teacher doesn't have time to complete. Teacher is gone due to personal issues & training. An average of 1-2 days a week the class has a sub.

Posted: May 28, 2015

The school started out with such promise & a we had wonderful beginning. However, over the last year since the move to the new building, the experience has been horrible. My granddaughter was assaulted by another student in her class because she wanted something my grand had. This all took place while the instructor was on her phone. Numerous other students witnessed Her arm & wrist being twisted by the much larger student until my grand cried & fell to her knees. The girl is a known bully. When students ran to tell the teacher the girl lied, saying she had been pinched. Another student witnessed her trying to pinch herself, but the teacher said she didn't witness it so it didn't matter. My granddaughter was made to apologize. The other students informed their parent's they were afraid, because she does what she wants with no consequence and if they tell, they get in trouble. We were not informed by anyone from the school about the incident even though she was sent to the nurse for ice. She was complaining about pain in her arm & couldn't use it on her way home. She was seen at the emergency room & the doctors were shocked. They said "excessive & intense force was used to create the injury". They reported the injury to authorities. Administration avoided my daughter's calls & later had the secretary apologize stating, "the incident has been handled". The bullying was allowed to continue with no consequences, until another child was pulled from the class due to this girl bullying him. The girl received no consequence. She told a group of students in front of adults at pick up time, "if you don't be nice to me I'll make you leave too" I was shocked by what I was hearing! Classwork is being sent home as homework, due to the teacher not having time to teach it. They've had a sub 1-2days a week for the entire year. The teacher's had personal issues, or some sort of training. We're a family of educators and find this entire situation unacceptable. Numerous students have left over the last couple of months, due to the lack of communication, mismanagement of funds, continued bullying issue's & classwork concerns not being addressed. My grands will not be returning!!

Posted: May 4, 2015

NMIS is a poorly run school both administratively and financially. I agree with other comments here, especially the comment of the faculty automatically trying to insinuate your child is ADHD when there is an issue. The real issue is the kids get a short recess in morning and a very short lunch, no time to burn off energy. I also agree some of the faculty are the biggest bullies in the school. We first thought sending our child to a second language immersion school was a good idea, however if we could do over we would have made a different choice. Another problem with this school is on top of all the standardized testing, they throw in another called Logramos which takes extra time away from classroom time. Think twice about sending your child to NMIS, not recommended by this parent.

Posted: March 13, 2015

I'm not so sure why this school ranks a 10. My children attended this school for two years and it was a horrible experience for them. We experienced bullying and the administration/teachers did nothing to stop it. They responded negatively to any request we made. Because we complained, my children experienced unkindness from their teachers. It is a bad environment for your children when the worst bullies at the school are the faculty.

Posted: March 4, 2015

Horrible abuse of power. The teachers run a muck and so does the director. The extras are only taught for at best 30-60 minutes per week and with 22 kids in class they learn very little. Many children are suffering because of the the spanish and when children struggle they will suggest your child has ADHD, vision problems, dyslexia, hearing problems or Autism. When something seems to good to be true it usually is. Enroll your child with lost of caution. Many parents have pulled their children out because of all of these issues. Listen to your gut and be ready to pull your child out when things get rocky because they will not hear your concerns.

Posted: March 1, 2015

I have first grader and will have our second child in kinder there next year. We chose this school because of our desire for a bilingual program. Our kids are both very bright and well socialized from pre-school and for our older, our hope was that the challenge of another language would keep him stimulated. He has done well and can read, write, and speak in English and Spanish and has many friends and enjoys his time in school. This is probably true for him at any school he might attend, because of the kind of kid he his, but we have been very happy with the balance of his education so far. The music and art programs are amazing and they have physical ed every day and then unstructured play time outside three times a day. There is not much of a playground which is definitely a downside, but the kids make up their own creative games and sports. The teachers we have had experience with have been responsive and nurturing and we have not experienced any classroom behavior issues either directly or peripherally. Overall, it has been a 5-star experience for us and we are daily grateful we got in on the lottery!

Posted: February 27, 2015

The NMIS curriculum includes Suzuki Violin, Spanish immersion, and Aikido. Unfortunately, we found the school's execution to be problematic. NMIS experiences high teacher turnover. Time for free play is so limited that our child never learned classmates' names. The children's need for play was so great that many did not eat lunch, getting through the day on granola bars the teacher doled out. Drills and reward and punishment are a regular part of the teaching toolkit. The student culture includes name-calling, aggressive chasing, and belittling. Kinders are subjected to standardized testing. We expected excellent pedagogy and school leadership to go along with the stellar curriculum. Did not find it here.

Posted: December 26, 2014

My kids love this school and so do we as parents! It feels like a private school without the huge expense. Staff and director are wonderful!

Posted: July 8, 2013

We have been going to this school for two years, and the school has some growing pains being new. Being a full immersion school has been a change for our child, however is thriving at it now. The first year was the best with our kids teacher from Spain. After two years, he is speaking, writing, and reading in Spanish and English. He is writing in cursive and enjoying the school. Our only complain is the growing problems. They will be moving into a new building this year and not on the west side of town where they were originally going to be. They are providing a high level of education along with music, and physical educaitons (Fencing, LaCrose, Akido). I wish this school would go to through middle school, and they are still working on IB for PYP. Principal interacts wells with the kids.

#	Name	Type	City	State	Overall Rating	Distance
1	Northeast Heights	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Albuquerque	NM		1.1 mi
2	Blossom Ridge at Anderson Hills	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Albuquerque	NM		12 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	Albuquerque	Albuquerque	NM	5.6 mi
2	Taylor Ranch	Albuquerque	NM	8.1 mi
3	Rio Rancho	Rio Rancho	NM	9 mi
4	Ventana Ranch	Albuquerque	NM	10.5 mi

New Mexico International School

Albuquerque, NM 87109

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New Mexico International School

Albuquerque, NM 87109

School Ratings

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