Superintendent Search
Finalist Community Forums and Interviews
More than 300 questions were collected from community members, employees, parents and students through the online submission form. A chief search associate from Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates gathered the questions and is working to combine similar questions to ask the finalists as many questions on as many topics as possible. Read complete details about the community forum and interview.
How to Watch
The Community Forum is from 6 to 7 p.m. with interviews to follow from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m.
Community Feedback Needed
Public feedback on the candidates is important to the Board of Education. Each link will become available when the candidate's forum begins. Feedback must be submitted by 9 p.m. on March 4.
- March 1: Ignacio Ruiz Feedback
- March 2: Scott Elder Feedback
- March 4: Dr. Bolgen Vargas Feedback
About the Search
- Superintendent Position Overview
- Search Process Timeline
- Applicant Information
- News Releases
- Survey Results
When Superintendent Raquel Reedy announced her plan to retire on June 30, 2020, the APS Board of Education began a national search for the district's next leader. After collecting public input regarding the qualities and characteristics desired in the new superintendent, the job was posted in February, 2020 and 39 individuals applied. The search was postponed due to COVID-19 and was restarted November 9, 2020. Applications closed on Jan. 6, 2021.
Four finalists were selected for the Superintendent Job
The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education selected four finalists on February 5, 2021 for the superintendent’s job following three days of interviews. Recently, Dr. Shah has withdrawn from consideration. The three finalists, chosen from a semifinalist pool of six, are:
- Scott Elder, Interim Superintendent for Albuquerque Public Schools (Scott Elder Application (PDF))
- Ignacio Ruiz, Assistant Superintendent for Clark County School District in Las Vegas, NV (Ignacio Ruiz Application (PDF)
- Dr. Bolgen Vargas, Self-Employed Consultant and former Superintendent for Rochester City School District in New York (Dr. Bolgen Vargas Application (PDF))