Become an APS Principal

We seek school leaders who are ready to make a positive impact on the APS's student community. Learn about your eligibility and the principal pool process.

Why Lead in Albuquerque Public Schools?

The driving force behind leadership in Albuquerque Public Schools is a profound belief in the inherent right of every student—irrespective of their background, or ZIP code to receive an exceptional education rooted in their cultural identity, rigorous academics, and abundant opportunities.

We seek school leaders who are ready to make a positive impact on the APS's Strategic Plan of ensuring Equity and Access, fostering Student Well-being and a Sense of Belonging, promoting Academic Excellence and Growth, and strengthening Family and Community Engagement.

The APS principal creates the conditions for an equitable and inclusive school culture that allows students to express their unique selves. The principal builds and monitors systems for instructional improvement that lead to high-quality teaching, academic excellence, and continuous improvement. By leading with a focus on equity, the principal ensures that all students can succeed and thrive.

Leadership to be guided by:

Cultivating Equitable and Inclusive Cultures: Create a school environment where every student feels safe, a sense of belonging, and the freedom to express their unique identity, fostering a culture of care and respect.
Building Systems for Instructional Excellence and Feedback: Establish and monitor robust systems focused on the instructional core, ensuring high-quality teaching practices that drive academic excellence and continuous improvement for all students.
Leading with an Equity-Centered Lens: Decision-making will be consistently guided by the principles of equity and justice, ensuring all students, particularly those impacted by Yazzie/Martinez plus African American students, have the opportunity to succeed and thrive.
Data-Driven Improvement and Organizational Advancement: Utilizing disaggregated data to identify disparities, implement targeted interventions, and build responsive systems that lead to measurable organizational advancement and improved student outcomes.
Collaborative Engagement and Clear Expectations: Partnering transparently with families and the community, establishing clear expectations for all stakeholders, and leading with integrity to foster a shared commitment to student success.

We highly value and support our school leaders, recognizing their pivotal role in student learning. The APS principal creates the conditions for an equitable and inclusive school culture that allows students to express their unique selves. The principal builds and monitors systems for instructional improvement that lead to high-quality teaching, academic excellence, and continuous improvement. Our students, teachers, and families deserve highly skilled and effective leadership. Join us as we build a brighter future for Albuquerque's students. Your leadership can make a difference.

Principal Candidate Pool

Eligibility

Who Can Apply to the Principal Candidate Pool in APS?

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Experience:

Effective communication skills, both verbal and written.
Flexibility, organization, decision-making and problem solving skills.
Interpersonal skills with diverse populations in-person and on the telephone.
Knowledge of APS community, computer system, financial and legal requirements.
Ability to meet deadlines, work on multiple projects and coordinate the work of others.
Knowledge of district policies on immunization, medication, first aid, emergencies and child abuse/neglect.
Three years of teaching experience.

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in Education or equivalent.
Valid State Department of Education administrative licensure.

Important Considerations:

Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the Principal Candidate Pool. Applicants must also complete the screening process.
All applicants must be in good standing with Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) or their former/current employer.
Principal placements are made at the superintendent's discretion.

Principal Pool Process

Online Principal Pool Application: Submit an application
Resume: Your resume should include information about your work and leadership experiences, accomplishments, and results.
Cover Letter: Please submit a 750-word, double-spaced cover letter that addresses the following questions.

Why are you an excellent candidate to lead an Albuquerque Public School? Detail the experience, skills, and vision for student achievement you bring to enable the school to meet and surpass its goals, emphasizing how your leadership will establish clear expectations and uphold integrity.
Describe a specific instructional initiative you led that significantly improved student achievement and closed the opportunity gap through rigorous instruction. Highlight your leadership role and the resulting outcomes.
Provide measurable outcomes demonstrating your student academic achievement record, showcasing your ability to contribute to responsive systems that lead to organizational advancement.
Describe your experience influencing adults (e.g., through coaching, mentoring, feedback) to achieve significant student results, illustrating your approach to actionable feedback and talent management.
What is your experience working with diverse student populations (including race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status), and how have you fostered engaged students in a culture of safety, belonging, and care?
Describe your experience collaborating effectively with all stakeholders, including students, staff, and the community, to achieve school-wide goals.

References: Three (3) professional references

One of your references must be your last or current supervisor.
Eligible applicants will not be interviewed for the Pool until APS has received all three (3) references.
APS will not be able to confirm for you whether your references have been completed and received. If you have concerns about the status of your references, please contact your reference directly to confirm if they have completed and returned the information to APS. If references are not received within 30 days, your application will be considered incomplete, and will not be processed and you will have to reapply if still interested.

Pool Interview: Interviews will be conducted with applicants who are determined to be the most qualified based on a thorough review of their submitted application materials, references, and eligibility criteria through the BEI process. These interviews assess whether applicants demonstrate the qualities and skills that Albuquerque Public Schools values in our school leaders.

Candidates who advance through this stage may also be invited to participate in additional selection activities to determine their eligibility for inclusion in our Principal Pool.

Notification: Thank you for your interest in this opportunity. Application reviews will begin throughout the year, and the screening and selection process may take up to 4 weeks or longer. We will notify you as soon as a decision has been made.

Due to the high volume of applications, we kindly ask for your patience during this time. We appreciate your understanding and request that you refrain from contacting us with individual inquiries, as we are unable to provide updates on specific application.

Notice for Out-of-State Applicants - Obtaining a New Mexico State Administrator

Certification is a condition of employment for administrative roles and must be completed by the contract start date.

For information about the certification processes for the State of New Mexico, please contact the New Mexico Public Education at (505) 827-5800 or visit the New Mexico Public Education website.

Once Accepted into the Principal Pool

Upon acceptance into the Principal Pool, the superintendent or designee will identify available schools based on the skills of the individuals in the pool. Principal placements are made at the superintendent's discretion.

This page was last updated on: May 23, 2025.