Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education Packet Summary — August 19, 2026
The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education is scheduled to meet Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. at the Alice and Bruce King Education Complex. The agenda includes progress monitoring on post-secondary readiness, revised school-improvement materials for School on Wheels, authorization connected to eight state-supported capital projects, financial closeout authority for the former Voz Collegiate Preparatory Charter School, and an update from the Community Engagement Committee.
Key Items on the Agenda
Goal 3: Post-Secondary Readiness
The board is scheduled to review its latest progress-monitoring report for Goal 3, which measures the percentage of high school graduates who complete at least two Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or dual-credit courses, or earn an industry certification or Bilingual Seal. The board's adopted goal calls for increasing that measure from 39.6% in September 2023 to 49.6% by September 2028.
The packet reports that 52.8% of APS students graduating during the 2025–2026 school year met the Goal 3 measure. That represents an 8.1 percentage-point increase from the previous school year and a 10.4-point increase from two years earlier. The 2025–2026 data are preliminary and do not yet include summer graduates.
Among the individual pathways reported for 2025–2026:
- 35.0% of graduates earned credit in at least two AP courses, up from 31.2% the prior year.
- 11.7% earned an industry certification, up from 4.8%.
- 11.2% earned a Bilingual Seal, up from 8.8%.
- 9.4% earned credit in at least two dual-credit courses, compared with 11.0% the prior year.
- 0.8% earned credit in at least two IB courses, compared with 0.7%.
APS projects the overall measure could reach 57.2% in 2026–2027 based on performance over the past three school years. The packet also identifies an equity gap: students with disabilities were at 22%, compared with the districtwide 52.8%.
Planned strategies include establishing Freshman Academies at every comprehensive APS high school by August 2027, expanding college and career credentials, creating a Next Step Plan for every student, strengthening counseling and Student Success Systems, and increasing access to advanced coursework for students with disabilities.
School Improvement and Graduation Redesign
Revised School on Wheels Application
The board is scheduled to consider revised materials for the 2026–2027 School Improvement and Transformation Grant Application and the MRI Graduation Rate Application for School on Wheels. The board previously approved the Board of Education narrative and graduation-rate applications on June 17, 2026, but the New Mexico Public Education Department subsequently provided feedback, prompting revisions.
The School on Wheels materials describe a significant restructure and redesign centered on project-based and competency-based learning, career-connected instruction, stronger graduation monitoring, flexible learning pathways, mentorship, and more coordinated student supports.
The proposed redesign includes:
- A Big Picture Learning-aligned instructional model emphasizing authentic assessment, project-based learning, competency-based learning, and career-connected instruction.
- A redesigned Self-Paced Point System intended to provide clearer, mastery-based tracking of graduation progress.
- Weekly use of an Early Warning Indicator system to monitor attendance, course completion, pacing, interventions, and graduation progress.
- Champion mentorship and advisory structures focused on attendance, graduation planning, student support, and post-secondary pathways.
- Flexible options including Grad Alliance, eCademy, internships, ACE coursework, summer school, online and hybrid learning, and schedule flexibility.
- Quarterly student-led conferences and more frequent progress monitoring for students and families.
- Expanded Special Education staffing and support, including Math and ELA teachers pursuing or holding appropriate dual licensure.
- A shared leadership and collaboration model involving School on Wheels and Freedom High School.
The application repeatedly identifies a proposed target of increasing the four-year graduation rate by 15 percentage points, from 66.4% to 81.4%, during 2026–2027. Other targets include reducing graduation gaps for historically underserved students by at least 10 percentage points, raising attendance above current levels, and increasing participation in career-connected pathways.
$200,000 School on Wheels Budget
The School on Wheels application includes a $200,000 budget tied to the redesign. Proposed expenditures include:
- $50,000 for paid, career-connected internships through Payday Inc.
- $10,000 for Pipefitters Union 412 programming that includes welding, OSHA certification, and First Aid certification.
- $20,000 for Big Picture Learning professional development.
- $25,000 for Grad Alliance flexible credit-recovery options.
- $30,000 in APS staff teacher stipends supporting the 90-day plan and MRI restructuring.
- Funding for substitutes, project-based learning materials, field-trip transportation, Culture of Care training, technology, student supplies, and other implementation needs.
The application links the spending plan to efforts to improve attendance, credit attainment, engagement, instructional practices, and graduation outcomes.
Major Financial and Capital Items
State Capital Awards for Eight APS Projects
The board is scheduled to consider granting the Board President and Superintendent authority to sign additional documents needed to complete the New Mexico Public Schools Capital Outlay Council matching-funds process for eight APS capital projects.
The board previously authorized signatures on PSCOC applications on July 1, 2026. The current proposal would extend that authority to additional documents required to complete the process.
The eight projects are:
- Eldorado High School, Highland High School and Mary Ann Binford Elementary School: A $61,050 standards-based planning and assessment award covering evaluation of long-term facility conditions, enrollment and capacity needs, site constraints, and cost-reduction strategies.
- Tomasita Elementary School: A $1,026,508 systems-based award for HVAC and electrical system replacement.
- Apache Elementary School: A $177,648 systems-based award.
- Hayes Middle School: A $1,787,353 systems-based award for HVAC system replacement.
- Chaparral Elementary School: A $2,758,319 systems-based award for HVAC and electrical system replacement.
- New Futures Alternative High School: A $149,504 systems-based design award for roof, HVAC, and electrical system replacement.
Together, the state award amounts listed for these projects total $5,960,382. The award documents set an August 21, 2026, deadline for district acceptance and require additional steps before state funds can be spent, including coordination with the Public School Facilities Authority and execution of project agreements.
Charter School Closure and Financial Closeout
Voz Collegiate Preparatory Charter School
The board is scheduled to consider a resolution transferring bank signatory authority and designating APS officials to complete the financial wind-down of Voz Collegiate Preparatory Charter School. The packet states that the charter contract expired June 30, 2026, and the school is closed, but financial matters remain outstanding.
The draft resolution would:
- Revoke banking authority previously held by Voz Collegiate employees, administrators, and governing council members.
- Grant account authority to APS Executive Director of Accounting Mark Turnbull and District Controller Amanda Boyle.
- Limit use of the accounts to final payroll and benefits, validated debts to creditors and vendors, and transfer of remaining balances to the New Mexico State Treasury.
- Authorize closure of the accounts after a zero balance is verified and the final financial audit is completed.
The packet says formal board action is required to change account access and operational controls during the wind-down under New Mexico law and the financial institution's requirements.
Discussion and Community Engagement
The agenda includes an informational update from Community Engagement Committee Chair Janelle Astorga. The packet states that the update will cover topics discussed during the committee's August 18, 2026, meeting; it does not provide additional substantive detail about those topics.
The meeting agenda also includes a public forum, Superintendent's Report, President's Report, and recognition of student outcomes connected with Goal 3.
Previously Completed Actions in the Packet
The packet includes draft minutes from the August 5, 2026, board meeting. Those minutes document several actions already completed at that earlier meeting, separate from the items scheduled for August 19.
Among the recorded prior actions:
- The board approved a revised progress-monitoring calendar 6–0.
- The board approved consent-agenda Items 7.1 through 7.12 by a 6–0 vote.
- The consent agenda included multiple district purchases or expenditures of at least $500,000, including solar hot-water systems, boiler services, LEED consulting, restoration and repair services, in-school student mental-health provider services, and substitute staffing services.
- The board voted 6–0 to deem two APS-owned tracts in the Sandia Science & Technology Park surplus.
- Negotiated agreement changes with the Communications Workers of America Food and Nutrition Services and Maintenance and Operations bargaining units each carried 5–0, with one board member recused.
- Negotiated agreement changes with the Educational Police Officers Association carried 6–0.
These actions are documented as outcomes of the August 5 meeting and should not be confused with the proposals scheduled for consideration on August 19.
What to Watch at the Meeting
The August 19 packet puts several consequential issues before the board. The Goal 3 report shows APS's preliminary post-secondary readiness measure above the district's 2028 target, while also identifying substantial differences in access and outcomes, particularly for students with disabilities.
The board is also being asked to act on a detailed redesign proposal for School on Wheels, including a $200,000 improvement budget and significant changes to instruction, graduation monitoring, staffing, mentorship, scheduling, and credit recovery. Separately, the capital-project item would authorize signatures needed to advance eight projects associated with nearly $6 million in state awards, while the Voz Collegiate resolution would establish the financial authority needed to complete the closed charter school's wind-down.
