Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education Finance Committee Packet Summary — August 27, 2026
The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education Finance Committee is scheduled to meet virtually at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 27. The agenda centers on the FY 2028 budget calendar, grant and budget adjustments, disposal of district equipment, five purchases or expenditures of at least $500,000, and July cash disbursements.
Items receiving committee approval are scheduled to be considered for recommendation to the full Board of Education's September 2, 2026, consent agenda.
Key Items on the Agenda
FY 2028 Budget Calendar
The committee is scheduled to consider the district's proposed calendar for developing the fiscal year 2027-2028 budget. APS says the calendar is designed around an April 15, 2027, statutory submission date to the New Mexico Public Education Department, with Board and stakeholder updates planned throughout the process.
Major milestones in the proposed calendar include:
- Community meetings and a community survey in October 2026.
- Development of financial assumptions beginning in October.
- School and department budget development from February through April 2027.
- Program presentations in March and April.
- Presentation of the final budget to the Board in May 2027.
- Submission of the budget to the Public Education Department in May 2027.
Six Grant Budget Adjustments
The packet includes six grant budget adjustments reflecting new awards or increases in available funding. The adjustments total approximately $2.57 million and include:
- $931,083 for the Structured Literacy State Grant, including salaries and benefits to support structured literacy services.
- $752,068.57 for the Indian Education Act, supporting programs intended to improve educational achievement while preserving and promoting Native American culture, language, and community engagement.
- $748,535 increase for the Indian Education Formula Grant, bringing that fund's adjusted budget to $1,159,825. The packet identifies culturally relevant academic support, enrichment, Jobs for American Graduates programming at Cibola and Del Norte, and school supplies and backpacks for Native students among the planned uses.
- $100,333 for the Food Bridge Fund, described as a food-security grant extending food access during out-of-school time.
- $26,406 increase for Impact Aid-Indian Education, supporting districtwide Indian Education programming.
- $13,944 increase for Impact Aid-Special Education.
Major Financial Items
Five Purchases or Expenditures of $500,000 or More
The committee is scheduled to review five major procurement items. If recommended by the committee and subsequently approved, the purchases would proceed through the Board's September 2 consent agenda.
Bulk Fuel — Estimated $800,000
APS is seeking approval for an estimated $800,000 one-year bulk-fuel purchase from TACenergy using operational funds and a Sourcewell cooperative contract. The packet notes that actual spending will depend on district needs and fuel prices.
Nutrition Education and Sustainability — Up to Five Years
APS proposes a contract with FoodCorps for Nutrition Education and Sustainability Program Services. The action report describes an estimated $750,000 over five years using federal funds, while the accompanying Board report lists an annual vendor rate of $145,000 and an estimated total spend of up to $725,000 over five years.
The contract resulted from APS RFP No. 26-067 MS, which received one proposal.
Bookroom Ready Books — Estimated $3 Million
The committee is scheduled to consider a four-year, multi-vendor contract for Bookroom Ready Books with:
- Mackin Educational Resources
- OverDrive, Inc.
- Salina Bookshelf, Inc.
- Vista Higher Learning, LLC
The packet estimates total spending at $3 million using operational funds. APS emphasizes that the figure is not a guaranteed expenditure and that actual spending will depend on district needs and available funding.
Culturally Relevant and Equity Training — Estimated $3.5 Million
APS proposes a four-year, multi-vendor contract for culturally relevant and equity training services, with estimated spending of $875,000 annually, or $3.5 million over four years, using operational and grant funds.
The proposed vendors are United South Broadway Corporation, Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico, Dual Language Education of New Mexico, Safe and Affirming Schools NM, Teacher Created Materials Inc., and WestEd Inc. The packet states that actual expenditures would depend on district needs, the scope of services, and available funding.
High-Dosage/High-Impact Tutoring — Estimated $500,000 Annually
The packet proposes a multi-vendor contract for evidence-based tutoring interventions in reading, literacy, and mathematics for K-12 students. Services would be available both virtually and in person.
APS estimates spending at $500,000 annually from operational and federal funds, with a contract term of up to six years. The accompanying Board report identifies K12 Tutoring Inc., BookNook Inc., SAGA Innovations Inc., Imagine Learning LLC, Blueprint Schools Network Inc., and Kelly Education and lists rates ranging from $18.50 to $75 per student per hour, depending on vendor and delivery method.
Budget Transfers and Asset Management
June Grant-Fund Transfers
The committee is scheduled to review intra-function transfers completed within grant budgets during June 2026. APS defines these as movements of money within the same budget category, meaning the transfers reallocate existing resources without changing the overall budget.
The packet contains transfers across numerous programs, including Title I, IDEA-B, Title III, Medicaid, Pre-K, Indian Education, out-of-school-time programs, homelessness initiatives, environmental STEM programming, and other grants. APS identifies fiscal-year-end budget alignment as the justification for many of the June transfers.
July Transfers Across All Funds
A separate item covers intra-function transfers completed during July 2026 across operational, grant, and capital budgets. As with the June grant transfers, APS states that the transactions move resources within budget categories without changing the overall budget.
510 Assets Proposed for Disposal
The committee is scheduled to consider a statement covering equipment and furniture taken out of service from May 1 through May 31, 2026. The packet lists 510 assets with a combined acquisition value of $624,094.26, accumulated depreciation of $552,783.98, and net value of $71,310.28.
The inventory includes:
- 487 computers, laptops, or tablets.
- 8 smart boards.
- 5 pieces of kitchen equipment.
- 7 other assets.
- 3 vehicles.
The proposed action would allow disposal of equipment identified as worn out, unusable, unsafe, or obsolete in accordance with state law and APS asset-management procedures.
July Cash Disbursements
The committee is also scheduled to review July 2026 payments as part of the district's state-required cash-control process. The packet reports $61,656,668.88 in July payroll and $6,638,811.04 in other disbursements.
The non-payroll total includes expenditures such as contract services, supplies, utilities, property costs, special education assistance, maintenance, software, professional development, and other operating expenses. The packet presents these as payments already made that require formal Board review and approval under state accounting guidelines.
What to Watch at the Meeting
- Large multi-year commitments: The agenda includes proposed contracts or purchasing authority with estimated values of $3.5 million for culturally relevant and equity training, $3 million for Bookroom Ready Books, and as much as six years of high-dosage/high-impact tutoring at an estimated $500,000 annually.
- Nutrition contract figures: The packet contains two different five-year estimates for the FoodCorps contract—$750,000 in the action report and up to $725,000 in the accompanying Board report.
- Grant funding: Six adjustments would add approximately $2.57 million in grant funding, with the largest amounts directed toward structured literacy and programs serving Native American students.
- FY 2028 budget process: Approval of the proposed calendar would establish milestones extending from fall 2026 community engagement through development and submission of the 2027-2028 district budget.
- Path to full Board consideration: The Finance Committee agenda calls for considering whether to recommend the reviewed items for consent-agenda approval by the Board of Education on September 2, 2026.
