Albuquerque Public Schools
School Choice Fair Highlights Magnet School Opportunities
Transfer window for 2026-2027 school year is now open.
Maya Chavez is a sophomore at College and Career High School, but on Tuesday evening, she was playing the role of recruiter at the APS School Choice Fair, an event held to introduce Albuquerque families to the many magnet schools Albuquerque Public Schools has to offer.
“I am very driven and ambitious, so this structure was perfect for me,” the aspiring lawyer said of her school located on the Central New Mexico Community College campus. She expects to graduate from the APS high school with two years of college credit under her belt.
“Getting two years of college for free is honestly pretty great,” she said, noting that she’s taking sociology, psychology and public speaking classes. Parents and students listened intently as she and fellow CCHS student Camilla Callow discussed the small classes and drama free environment at their magnet school.
Hundreds showed up to Berna Facio Professional Development Complex to learn about the many schools APS has to offer. Best of all, APS opened the transfer window for next school year early, so families are able to begin the process of enrolling them right now.
The fair was hosted by the APS Office of Innovation.
“Events like this are important because they offer families an opportunity to learn about our schools at APS that they sometimes may not be aware of,” said Annittra Atler, the department’s senior director. “It promotes our magnet themes in APS and provides them choice.”
APS has more than two dozen K-12 magnet schools, specializing in areas such as STEM, arts, International Baccalaureate, and early college credit. These unique schools provide opportunities tailored to varying interests and academic goals.
Among the most popular attractions at Tuesday’s fair was the Career Enrichment Center booth, where students were providing free facials and massages.
“It’s a great school,” said Kiara Torres, who attends Early College Academy but also takes an esthetics class at the Career Enrichment Center.
Angel Saavedra said the Career Enrichment Center, where she teaches, is a great option for all APS high school students because they can study everything from veterinary medicine and nursing to cosmetology, forensics and foreign languages
“The list goes on for opportunities the Career Enrichment Center offers,” Saavedra said, adding that students at all APS high schools are bused to and from the CEC campus for their classes for free.
To learn more about APS magnet schools, visit the Office of Innovation and School Choice page.