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APS District News

Board Will Consider Taft Proposal on Wednesday

Posted December 16, 2024, 8:00 AM. Updated December 13, 2024, 4:59 PM.

Right-sizing plan would affect several schools.

The APS Board of Education on Wednesday is scheduled to consider a proposal for a boundary change that could trigger a variety of important right-sizing moves for local schools.

The district is proposing moving students from Taft Middle School in the North Valley to nearby Taylor Middle School. The consolidation would make it possible for the popular Coronado Dual Language Magnet to move from its downtown location to the Taft site. The school would start as a K-6 offering and eventually become a K-8.

A new international high school, one that would serve refugee and immigrant students in APS, is proposed to move into the Coronado site.

The changes are part of right-sizing – the district’s term to match its educational needs to its building footprint. In recent years, APS has seen significant enrollment declines and now stands at about 68,000 students.

Right-sizing is not a new concept: It has been part of the district’s mandate for nearly a decade. In recent years, APS has repurposed Acoma, La Luz and Duranes elementary schools.

This proposal would not involve the closing of other North Valley elementary schools. Taft has been on a right-sizing list for several years, and the district plans to build a $28 million classroom block at Taylor.

Concerned parents, many from Alvarado Elementary School, a Taft feeder, expressed worries about the plan at a recent school board meeting. To address some of those issues, the district altered the plan.

Students currently in the fifth grade at Taft’s feeders would have three choices for middle school in 2025. They are:

  • Coronado Dual Language Magnet: If a 5th-grade student in Taft’s feeder system is currently a dual language student, they could attend this school on the Taft campus.
  • Taylor Middle School: If the board approves the proposal, students within Taft’s boundaries can attend Taylor for a more traditional middle school experience. The addition of Taft students would bring Taylor’s population to about 500, a number considered far more healthy from an educational perspective.
  • Garfield Middle School:  A recent survey of parents, students and the community within the North Valley revealed there’s a huge interest in STEM. Toward that end, students in Taft’s feeders would have the option of attending Garfield STEM Magnet, also in the North Valley. Investments at Garfield and Valley High School reflect a commitment by the district to excelling in STEM.

Right-Sizing Overview

Right-sizing is a strategic initiative aimed at ensuring Albuquerque Public Schools remains financially sustainable and academically strong while providing equitable access to high-quality education. 

Key Goals of Right-Sizing

  • Academic and Financial Viability
  • Recruitment and Retention
  • Adaptation to Educational Priorities
  • Addressing Overcrowding  
  • Creating Family Options

Factors in the Right-Sizing Decision

  • Declining Enrollment: Schools with low enrollment may be underutilized, making it harder to offer a full range of programs.
  • School Facilities: Older schools may require significant investment to meet modern standards, while newer facilities can better serve students.
  • Academic Performance: Schools with low enrollment and poor academic outcomes are prioritized for right-sizing.
  • Special Needs and High-Demand Programs: Schools with high enrollment in special needs or other high-demand programs are excluded from closure or repurposing.
  • Parent Satisfaction: Schools demonstrating strong academic performance and high parent satisfaction are typically excluded from closure.

Right-Sizing Process

The decision-making process is based on several factors including:

  • Financial/Operational Efficiency
  • Academic Outcomes
  • Enrollment/Capacity
  • Equity/Socioeconomic Impact

Schools being repurposed will continue to serve the community in different capacities, such as through community programs or alternative educational services. APS is committed to ensuring a smooth transition for affected students.

History of Right-Sizing Plan

The right-size committee was established in 2013 to address declining enrollment, and in 2016 Acoma Elementary was consolidated with Onate Elementary. The right-sizing initiative continued and presented to the Capital Outlay Committee on Sept. 11, 2017. It included an evaluation matrix to prioritize schools for repurposing based on factors like enrollment, facilities and academic performance. An administrative Right-Sizing Committee was formed to guide the evaluation process.

The plan was updated over time to reflect changes in enrollment and educational priorities. In April 2022, the Legislative Finance Committee recommended APS begin right-sizing due to the growing gap between funding and enrollment.

When APS adopted a new governance model, the Capital Outlay Committee was dissolved and replaced with a Right-Sizing Discussion Group, which reviewed the plan and made recommendations to the board. The administration has brought forward several proposals for school repurposing, including:

  • Duranes Elementary School as an early childhood center (voted on February 2024)
  • La Luz Elementary School leased to the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy (voted on April 2023)
  • Garfield Middle School as a STEM Magnet School
  • Polk Middle School as a Sustaining the Future school. 

Other schools recommended for repurposing by the Right-Sizing Committee are Kirtland and Lowell elementary schools.  

Taft Middle School has been part of the plan since 2022. It was initially proposed as a dual language magnet school for families who wanted to continue a pathway after leaving Coronado Dual Language Magnet School. More than half of Coronado fifth graders don’t go to APS middle schools. The proposal has since evolved into a plan for a K-8 dual language school, which is scheduled to go before the board on Dec. 18. 

Traditionally, APS informs communities about boundary changes after board approval. However, this board has emphasized keeping the community more informed throughout the process, which led to earlier updates this year—possibly contributing to some confusion and misinformation. No other schools other than those listed above are being considered for repurposing. Meetings have been held beginning in 2023 with the North Valley Neighborhood Associations, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque mayor(s), Coronado, Janet Kahn, Corrales, Duranes, MacArthur, La Luz, Taft, and Taylor.

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