APS shifts Title I, at‑risk allocations; priority schools to receive targeted staff and higher per‑pupil allotment

The Albuquerque Public Schools Finance Committee discussed a proposal to reallocate Title I and operational at‑risk funds intended to focus resources on priority and emerging schools, officials said at the Feb. 26 meeting.

The changes include raising the school‑level poverty threshold for school‑based Title I allocations from 50% to 60%, an increase in the district’s per‑pupil Title I allotment to $777 for qualifying schools, and an “off‑the‑top” allocation of three full‑time‑equivalent (FTE) positions for each school identified as priority. Those three positions are described by staff as a transformational coach, a community school coordinator and a student success systems coordinator. Emerging schools will receive a transformational coach and additional targeted Title I funds for small‑group tutoring or professional development, staff said.

District presenters said the Office of Federal and State Programs, created this year, led a review…