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APS Budget Would Boost Funding For At Risk Students

Hannah Colton / ¾ÅÉ«Íø
A mural adorns a wall at Whittier Elementary in SE Albuquerque, one of several schools the state has targeted for improvement in recent years.

Albuquerque Public Schools has finalized a . It reflects a nearly 14% hike in state funding, even though enrollment is dropping. The new money is in response to a landmark education equity ruling.

Last year’s Yazzie-Martinez ruling required lawmakers to direct more funding to student populations the state has long underserved: students with disabilities, English language learners, Native American students and students from low-income backgrounds.

For APS, that means an additional $34 million for those at-risk students for the coming year, almost half of which will go to shrinking class sizes. The money will also go to things like wrap-around services, community schools and the district’s newcomer program.

There’s another brand new pot of money – nearly $19 million – for programs to extend the amount of time students spend in school.

now has to be approved by the state Public Education Department.

Credit Albuquerque Public Schools
Excerpt from a May 20, 2019 presentation to the APS board of education.

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Hannah served as news director at ¾ÅÉ«Íø and reported on education, Albuquerque politics, and anything public health-related. She died in November 2020.
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