MAS Charter School Earns Spark Change Award for Growth Among English Learners

Mission Achievement and Success (MAS) Charter School’s Old Coors campus in Albuquerque has been named a Spring 2026 Spark Change Award recipient for Growth in Language Arts among English learners. This statewide recognition honors New Mexico schools that demonstrate measurable improvement in student outcomes.

The Spark Change Awards, sponsored by Changemakers of New Mexico, spotlights schools that are among the best performing or fastest improving in literacy and math outcomes for student groups identified through the Yazzie Martinez decision. This includes economically disadvantaged students, English learners, Native American students, and students with disabilities. Awardees are selected through a rigorous analysis of statewide assessment data from the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years, using publicly available proficiency data in English language arts and mathematics.

For MAS, the recognition affirms something the school deeply believes in: Meaningful academic growth does not happen by accident. It happens through excellent teaching. It happens through focused instruction. It happens when educators look closely at what students need, respond quickly and refuse to allow gaps to become permanent barriers.

“This recognition reflects the work of excellent teachers who are deeply committed to students,” said JoAnn Mitchell, Ed.S., founder and CEO of MAS Charter School. “At MAS, we use focused, strategic, data-informed instruction to understand where students are, where the gaps exist and what support is needed next.”

That work is especially important for English learners, who bring language, culture, and lived experience into the classroom while also working to meet demanding academic expectations. At MAS, the objectives are to identify need and act on it with precision.

Mitchell said the school’s growth has been supported by shorter data cycles that allow teachers and leaders to course correct more quickly. Instead of waiting too long to see whether students are progressing, MAS educators regularly examine student data, look for patterns and then digging into the specific skills students need to strengthen.

“The shorter the data cycles, the more opportunities we have to course correct,” Mitchell said. “We have spent a lot of time helping teachers analyze what the data tells us about what students need.”

Mitchell's analysis reaches beyond broad performance categories. Teachers are asked to look more deeply at student work, identify gaps with greater clarity and adjust instruction in ways that make the best use of classroom time.

At MAS, data is both a source of information and a driver of action. It helps teachers plan, prioritize and respond. But the school’s leaders emphasize that data alone does not change outcomes. People do.

“We are driven by the data, but the data has to be used well,” Mitchell said. “If you do it right, it gives you a strong indicator of what is needed. Then the work becomes making sure teachers have the training, materials and support to make an impact.”

That support is central to the MAS model.

MAS invests heavily in professional development, instructional coaching, and ongoing review of the materials placed in front of students. The school brings in educators who are committed to children, then works to develop their skill so they can be as effective as possible with the time they have.

Mitchell also credited the instructional leaders and educators closest to the work, including instructional coaches Ceema Guyadeen, M.Sc., and Sharon Ali, for helping drive the student growth behind the recognition. She said their instructional leadership and commitment to students helped carry the results for which the Old Coors is being recognized.

“This recognition makes us incredibly proud because it reflects the hard work happening across MAS every day,” said Guyadeen, MAS’ English Language Arts / Reading Instructional Coach. “Strong leadership, high expectations, a strong culture and a belief that failure is not an option, have helped bring us this far. Sharon and I are proud to be part of MAS, and we’re excited for even greater success as we continue our pursuit of excellence.”

The approach reflects a practical reality: Many students arrive with academic gaps. Closing those gaps requires urgency, discipline and skill. It also requires teachers who are willing to keep learning.

"You can provide training, but teachers also have to be willing to take that learning and use it,” Mitchell said. “This is not easy work. It takes committed teachers who are willing to grow and do what students need.”

he Spark Change recognition connects directly to the MAS mission: to empower students to discover who they are, what they want to do and why it matters through a rigorous college-preparatory program in a supportive learning environment. MAS serves Albuquerque students with a strong focus on historically underserved youth, and works to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality education and a meaningful post-secondary path.

For families, the award offers a clear signal. Growth is being measured. Progress is being recognized. And English learners at MAS Charter School are showing what becomes possible when high expectations meet strong instruction and focused support.

The recognition also reflects one of the school’s core beliefs: Students do not benefit from lowered expectations. They need adults who are prepared, persistent and willing to use every available tool to help them move forward.

“Our students deserve the strongest instruction we can provide,” Mitchell said. “They deserve teachers who are prepared, supported and relentless about helping them grow. This recognition belongs to the educators doing that work every day and to the students who continue to rise.”