Charter Schools

Charter schools differ from public and magnet schools in that they operate independently from school districts and are held accountable by an entity called an authorizer.

Charter schools operate under a performance contract with their authorizer. This gives them more autonomy to serve student needs in return for a commitment to meet higher standards of accountability. In New Mexico, there are two different authorizers:

• New Mexico Public Education Commission
• APS School District

Charter School Lists

• APS Charter School List (APS Website)
• Albuquerque Area Charter Schools & Missions 2024-2025 (PDF)
• Albuquerque Area Charter Schools & Missions 2024-2025 with Board Districts (Alpha Order) (PDF)
• Albuquerque Area Charter Schools & Missions 2024-2025 with Board Districts (Board District Order) (PDF)
• All Charter Schools in New Mexico – NMPED (PDF)
• APS Charter School List with Salaries
• APS Charter Schools by Location 2024-2025 (Map)

Frequently Asked Questions About Charter Schools

• Charter Schools FAQ
• Charter Schools FAQ (PDF)

Policy & Procedural Directive

• Read the Charter School Procedural Directives
• Charter School Statutes

Governing Board

• Governing Board Resources

Charter School Authorizing

The videos below from the National Association of Charter School Authorizers give a great overview of the roles and responsibilities of an authorizer and why authorizing matters. Please select closed captioning for ease of accessibility.