2025 Legislative Agenda
2025 Legislative Session
New Mexico Legislative Session 2025
The APS Government Affairs Team will represent the district at the 2025, 60-day session. The session begins on January 21, 2025, and ends on March 22, 2025.
Although the district supports the right of employees to voice their political views, employees should not use the APS email system to express political opinions, nor should political emails be sent during the work day.
An APS employee who wants to attend a Legislative hearing or session, in-person or virtually, of the Legislature and has not been requested by to do so the district must take annual or personal leave.
If you, as an APS employee, wish to communicate with a legislator, or other government agency or official regarding proposed legislation, interim legislative work, or school visits, contact Jessica Martinez, APS Policy Analyst and Government Liaison, at martinez_je@aps.edu prior to any further discussion. She will help ensure that information is gathered and shared with the appropriate APS departments and that any district-related communications are consistent with the district's position on proposed legislation.
If you are the representative of a public agency or a government official who would like information about APS policy, capital outlay, or information about a specific school site, please contact Jessica Martinez at martinez_je@aps.edu.
The 2025 APS legislative priorities are as follows:
FUNDING FOR INNOVATIVE DISTRICT PROGRAMS
In 2018, the New Mexico Public Education Department identified three APS elementary
schools – Hawthorne, Los Padillas, and Whittier – as needing more rigorous intervention due to low performance.
In response, APS created a transformational framework to support the needs of these
schools.
The three main components of this framework were extended day, extended year, and
increased investment in human capital. These schools, now known as Transformational
Opportunity Pilot Schools (TOPS), are a model for effective implementation of extended
learning time. Instead of simply adding more days to the school year, APS transformed
extended learning to include embedded time for school-wide enrichment, personalization, and acceleration. Professional development was also transformed to target student needs and empower teachers. Additionally, the district enlisted the support of interventionists, coaches, community school coordinators and mentors to support the work of TOPS educators – providing more muscle to an effort that seeks to improve student achievement in a more uniform manner.
Today, APS supports 21 TOPS schools serving more than 5,400 students and is
seeking funding to continue and expand the program, which includes resources such as
transformational coaches, supplies for Genius Hour, and support for teachers pursuing
National Board Certification.
The continued investment in this effort, such as professional development time for teachers and additional staffing, is necessary to ensure the continuity and long-term success of these innovative programs and the related progress in student engagement and attendance.
APS requests $667,000 per elementary school designated as “priority” or “emerging” under the district’s performance framework.
FLEXIBILITY FOR ABOVE-THE-LINE FUNDING
The TOPS model illustrates why school districts throughout the state, including APS, request
the state prioritize funding for the State Equalization Guarantee (SEG) and avoid “below-the-
line” funding for specific projects that may not be proven, sustainable or in alignment with a
district’s goals and strategic priorities.
Providing all districts, not just ours, with the autonomy to allocate resources for initiatives such
as Genius Hour with minimal restrictions would enable us to foster innovative educational
practices – and further engage students at schools working to move the needle. Moreover,
allowing districts to invest in additional professional development for our educators will
significantly enhance classroom effectiveness.
Increased flexibility in funding comes with a heightened sense of responsibility. If granted
greater funding flexibility, we can also provide improved accountability measures. The
traditional approach, which often includes numerous stipulations and stringent regulations,
has constrained our ability to demonstrate our effectiveness. In the past, we could assert,
“We were unable to utilize those funds where they were most needed due to restrictions
imposed by the Public Education Department.” This limitation would be alleviated if districts
were provided with a strategic means to allocate resources toward programs that enhance
instructional quality.
PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, PREPARATION, AND COMPENSATION
New Mexico is facing challenges in recruiting and retaining experienced teachers and other
licensed and non-licensed providers. All are essential for providing comprehensive support
and programs for students. The state must prioritize both increasing tier levels for teacher
salaries and retaining experienced teachers – particularly special education teachers. It also
must ensure adequate and continued funding for all school personnel to provide competitive
compensation that is in line with regional standards.
Teachers who are well-prepared stay in the profession longer and are more successful
in helping students achieve. Sufficient funding of teacher residency programs is critical
as the number of teachers in the traditional pipeline continues to decline. APS advocates
for legislative action to guarantee that all public school employees receive the necessary
training, benefits, and compensation needed for competitive employment. Teacher residency
programs, bilingual residency programs, increased benefits funding and “grow your own”
programs are necessary to provide qualified educators with the skills and support they need.
APS requests $5 million.
FUNDING FOR ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION
Students who experience homelessness or have been placed in foster care undergo
significant disruption to their personal lives. Allowing them to stay at their home schools
during these transitions is a way to provide continuity and consistency, which in turn
increases opportunities to succeed academically. APS is committed to providing
transportation to these students’ home schools, thus improving their access to a stable
and nurturing environment. This school year, more students qualify for the McKinney-
Vento Program than last year, leading to a greater need for transportation and
additional funding.
The Homeless Children and Youth subgrant specifies these funds cannot be used for
transportation; therefore, it does not cover the total cost of alternative transportation.
A direct appropriation to the district for transportation of Title I students using our
existing RFPs with transportation vendors will enable the district to contract alternative
transportation services for these children and allow them to remain at their home
schools.
APS requests $950,000 to cover the cost in FY26.
PERSONAL FINANCE REQUIRED FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION
Equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of
personal finance and financial security has never been more critical. As a result, the number
of states requiring personal finance courses has increased from eight in 2020 to 26 in 2024.
Such courses empower students with financial independence, prepare them for real-world
challenges, foster critical thinking and problem-solving, and promote financial responsibility.
Personal Finance has a positive long-term impact on improving credit scores, lowering loan
delinquency rates, and reducing default rates. It also increases the likelihood that future
generations will maintain three months of savings for emergencies and have at least one
type of retirement account. In fact, completing a one-semester course in personal finance
can result in a lifetime benefit of roughly $100,000 per student. Much of that financial value
comes from learning how to avoid high-interest credit card debt and leveraging better credit
scores to secure preferential borrowing rates for key expenses, such as insurance, auto
loans, and home mortgages. APS supports allowing districts to have the option to replace the
half-credit Economics classes with a Personal Finance class as a requirement for high school
graduation.
SCHOOL BUS ROUTES
Transportation to school is a crucial aspect of ensuring equal access to public
education. Currently, APS serves about 33,000 students each day, but state law only
mandates transportation for elementary students within a one-mile radius, middle
schoolers within one-and-a-half miles, and high schoolers within two miles. This leaves
many students ineligible for bus rides, forcing them to either find a ride or walk to
school.
For those who walk, this often means covering distances of more than a mile to and
from school, sometimes through busy roads or unsafe neighborhoods.
This situation poses significant safety risks and can affect attendance and overall
student well-being. We believe New Mexico state law should allow bus service for any
student who wants or needs it, regardless of distance. Such an initiative would allow
districts to enhance safety, improve attendance and provide reliable transportation
options for more students.
Additionally, this change would offer parents a safer, more economical way to get their
children to school. Addressing these transportation challenges is essential for creating
a safer and more equitable environment for all students.
2023 Interim Session APS Presentations
September 29, 2023: Health Insurance and Risk Rates -- Todd Torgerson, Chief of Human Resources and Legal Support Services, Albuquerque Public Schools; Robert Doucette, Secretary, General Services Department; Patrick Sandoval, Director, Public School Insurance Authority; Kari Armijo, Acting Secretary, Human Services Department
APS Benefits and Risk LFC presentation
July 27, 2023: Leveraging Learning Time in New Mexico - Scott Elder, Superintendent, Albuquerque Public Schools (APS); Channell Segura, Ed.D., Chief of Schools, APS with Tim Bedeaux, Senior Policy Analyst II, LESC; Lawrence Sanchez, Superintendent, Belen Consolidated Schools
May 16, 2023: Education Leaders Panel - Channell Segura, Ed.D., Chief of Schools, Albuquerque Public Schools with Matthew Montano, Superintendent, BPS; Sue Cleveland, Ed.D., Superintendent, Rio Rancho Public Schools; Karen Sanchez-Griego, Ed.D., Superintendent, Cuba Public Schools; Jade Rivera, Founder and Executive Director, Albuquerque Collegiate Charter School
APS Instituting Later Start Times for Middle and High School Students