Original Research by School Decision on Nurses Middle College Charter High School-capital Region
Nurses Middle College Charter High School-Capital Region is a charter district that has ceased operations. The school, which opened in the Capital Region as a ninth-grade specialty program focused on healthcare careers, permanently closed at the end of the 2024-25 school year due to enrollment shortfalls.
The school enrolled a small cohort of students in its opening year. The student body was predominantly Black, with a minority share of Hispanic students and a very small number of multiracial and Native American students. Race and ethnicity data were reported; free-or-reduced-price-lunch rates, special education enrollment, and English learner enrollment data were not available for public review.
The school's distinctive mission was to prepare students for nursing and healthcare professions starting in ninth grade. Publicly reported, it was the second charter high school in the nation dedicated to nursing and healthcare careers when it opened. The curriculum integrated nursing skills into daily instruction, and students were positioned to graduate with a high school diploma alongside transferable college credits and either a nursing assistant or EMT certification. The school drew enrollment from a wide catchment spanning multiple districts in the Capital Region, including Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Watervliet, East Greenbush, Menands, Cohoes, Guilderland, Niskayuna, and North Colonie.
The school's closure, however, overshadows all other aspects of its profile. Publicly reported, the board voted to close based on low enrollment. The school fell substantially short of its enrollment target, with only about that many students registered compared to a goal in a higher range, and just a handful of students registered for the following year. This enrollment gap created an operational deficit of roughly a million dollars, making the school financially unsustainable.
Because the school is no longer operating, state assessment results, graduation rates, and academic trends are not applicable. No comparative performance data against other districts in Rensselaer County can be reported.
For families who were enrolled or considering enrollment, the closure is complete. Publicly reported, representatives from three local charter schools, including Green Tech, Albany Leadership, and KIPP Capital High School, were made available to help students and staff transition to other educational placements. Any prospective student or family interested in a healthcare-focused high school pathway in the Capital Region will need to explore other schools or programs.
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