Dozens of charter-school advocates urge APS to preserve and strengthen charters as policy committee considers KC revisions

More than 20 public speakers at the Sept. 8 Albuquerque Public Schools Policy Committee meeting urged the board not to limit charter schools, citing student choice, academic success at some charters and the role charters play for students who do not thrive in traditional models. The public forum featured charter directors, parents, students and advocacy groups calling on the district to support, not reduce, APS-authorized charter schools.

Speakers included Jennifer Gable, a charter-school employee and parent; Tim Takarski, treasurer of Coral Community Charter School; Joseph O'Brien and Miller Mehalla, students; Matt Paul, executive director of Public Charter Schools of New Mexico; Trey Smith, executive director of East Mountain; Dr. Leticia Archuleta, executive director of Health Leadership High School; Zane Rosetta, executive director of Native American Community Academy; and others. Many commenters described charters as providing alternatives that meet specific student needs and urged the board to preserve current access.

After public comment the committee opened discussion of proposed changes to board policy KC, which governs charter schools. Chair Josefina Dominguez said the agenda item was to update KC, noting the policy has not been revised since 2016 and does not reference the district's recently adopted goals and guardrails or the Yazzie/Martinez litigation and resulting state obligations.

Board members asked administration for factual briefings to guide policy revision. Members requested data and a clear district strategy that would address: how APS-authorized charters differ from Public Education Commission (PEC) authorized schools; the fiscal implications (including the authorizer fee that returns 2% of state funding to an authorizer); whether the district has capacity to authorize additional schools; how charter applications and renewals are reviewed and how governance councils interact with the district; and whether assessment and accountability measures suitably reflect charter missions and student populations.

Several board members warned the committee against drafting policy language that would legally overreach the board's authority under New Mexico charter law. Dr. Blakey and others noted charter authorization and contracts are governed by the state Charter Schools Act and implementation details are often administrative. Some members urged better communication and periodic workshops with charter leaders rather than immediate policy changes. Others said the board needs a clearer "North Star" describing the district's strategy for charter schools and how authorizations should reflect goals, guardrails and fiscal constraints.

No policy changes were adopted Sept. 8. The committee asked administration to provide a proposed strategy and suggested language, meet with charter leadership and return to the committee at the October meeting for further discussion; any formal policy revision would follow the district's policy revision and public-comment processes.

Public commenters and board members repeatedly emphasized that while charter schools are public schools, they are also autonomous and typically governed by their own mission-driven contracts; members said the district's role as authorizer should be clear and procedurally robust.