Newcomer Charter School Graduates First Class

HISD's Newcomer Charter School, designed to provide immigrants who must work full-time with an education, graduated it's first class on Sunday. Opened in January 2005 within Lee High School, the program has proved popular--currently there are about 200 names on waitlist to get in. Enrollment will expand after the school moves to it's permanent location, later this school year.

The school district, who says that the expense is "absolutely worth it", according to Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra, foots the bills for students who are over 21 years of age, since these students are too old to qualify for federal funding.

Listen to some NPR coverage of the school here.