Superintendent's News

It's graduation season in Albuquerque Public Schools. Commencement for the Class of 2022 looks more like it did a couple of years ago before the pandemic wreaked havoc on the tradition. Whether graduation ceremonies are held at Tingley Colesium or Berna Facio, outside in the rain, wind, and rain, or virtual, they still represent the culmination of our work. It takes a team of educators to get these students to the finish line. A team made up of dedicated professionals like the employees of Albuquerque Public Schools.

I'm happy to report that more and more of our students are reaching that pinnacle, opening doors to brighter futures. The four-year graduation rate for APS has been climbing for years now. The graduation rate for the Class of 2021 was nearly 76%, 14 percentage points higher than it was seven years ago. When you exclude charter schools, which we have limited academic control over, the APS graduation rate is 80.3%.

That means four out of five of the students you work with every day will graduate with their peers. And even more will earn diplomas after recovering credits during the summer.

To what do we attribute this success? We put together a web page and videos featuring several principals and members of the Class of 2022 who offer advice on succeeding in high school and earning a diploma. I have included one of those videos below featuring me and Del Norte Principal Edward Bortot, whose school saw a whopping 12 percentage point increase in its graduation rate in a year! I encourage you to view the other videos as well. They are informative and celebratory. And it's always great to hear from successful students and colleagues.

The videos are posted here: Grad Rates on the Rise

As we celebrate our graduates next week, let's keep in mind the students coming up behind them, who depend on us to provide them the same opportunities.

Congratulations to the Class of 2022 and to all of you who helped them achieve this milestone.