Rio Rancho Board unanimously appoints Dr. Robert Dodd as superintendent; contract starts March 1, 2026
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Summary
The Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education voted 5-0 to name Dr. Robert Dodd superintendent and approved his contract, effective March 1, 2026. Dr. Dodd pledged to focus on the success and safety of nearly 17,000 students and outlined transition plans.
The Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to appoint Dr. Robert Dodd as the district’s next superintendent and approved his employment contract, with a start date of March 1, 2026.
Secretary Jessica Tyler moved to approve Dr. Dodd’s appointment, and Vice President Jeff Morgan seconded; the board’s roll-call vote recorded five yes votes (Vice President Jeff Morgan, Secretary Jessica Tyler, Board member Gary Tripp, Board member Beth Miller, and President Galbraith). The board later approved the superintendent contract by the same 5-0 margin.
The appointment concludes an expedited search that drew 31 initial applicants and was narrowed to three finalists after stakeholder meetings and community engagement, the board said. Board members thanked district staff and the search consultants from Ray and Associates for supporting a process that included 90-minute interviews for each finalist.
In brief remarks to the board and public, Dr. Dodd said he was "truly honored" by the appointment and described his guiding idea for the district: "honoring the past, building the present, and inventing the future." He pledged a focus on day-to-day priorities, saying, "Every morning, I'll wake up focused on the success, safety, and future of nearly 17,000 students across our 21 schools." He also noted that next year’s pre-kindergarten class at the Shining Stars program is expected to be about 2,040 children.
Board members offered public welcome and support. Secretary Jessica Tyler asked the community to rally behind the new superintendent and praised the quality of the finalists. Board member Beth Miller and Board member Gary Tripp highlighted the district’s strengths and pledged to support a smooth transition. Outgoing superintendent Dr. Cleveland addressed Dr. Dodd directly and pledged to work to make the transition effective.
Earlier in the meeting, the board said it received one online public comment from Robert Wright urging consideration of Todd Rush for superintendent; the board summarized that comment for the record but did not take additional public testimony in person.
The board invited Dr. Dodd to a group photo in the boardroom and scheduled a press conference to follow the meeting. The special meeting then adjourned.